


Fill Me With Your Poison

by Nolebucgrl



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-01
Updated: 2014-08-12
Packaged: 2017-11-06 13:53:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 72,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/419631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nolebucgrl/pseuds/Nolebucgrl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bella Swan's intrigued by vampires. Edward Cullen's bored and alone. What happens when they meet? AU, vampire. Rated M. Inspired by Katy Perry's ET.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"I really don't think this is a good idea, you guys." Isabella Swan stared at herself in the mirror. She looked good in the dark blue mini-dress, her hair curling down past her shoulders. Her brown eyes popped, due to the smoky black liner she wore. Makeup wasn't really her thing, but Jessica and Lauren had insisted that she put some effort forth tonight.

"It's a great idea! Do you want to spend your entire life in Forks? Live a little, Bella!" Lauren chastised her as she put the finishing touches on her own makeup. Her blonde hair was pulled back in an elegant French braid, and the dress she wore was practically painted on her body, siren red, just like her lipstick.

Bella snorted. "Live? Aren't we talking about the opposite?"

Jessica sighed, exasperated with her friend's attitude. "First of all, you don't have to become a vampire just because you're going to a vampire club. You know the rules."

Bella did know the rules. When the vampires had first revealed themselves-on live television no less-there'd been panic. The world changed overnight. Plots to destroy the vampires spouted up, were tried, and failed spectacularly. When it became clear that the world was fighting a losing battle, leaders of the nations met with the leader of the vampires, Aro, and had come to an agreement that both sides could deal with.

The vampires wished to live a life in public, without the façade they'd been forced to endure for centuries. The humans wanted to live without fear of a vampire attack at any given moment, so deals were debated and eventually struck. Vampires were given permission to kill the infirm and the dying-only with their consent, of course. Hospitals, hospices, and ALFs all had agreements with local vampires for services to ease the pain and suffering of patients. People signed up in droves to have their lives ended by the vampires, instead of waiting to die.

Of course, there were doubters and protesters, but there wasn't a lot they could do when their opponent was indestructible. Tanks, bombs, and bullets all failed to kill them. Bella's father loathed the vampires, and she knew he'd kill her himself if he knew what she was about to do.

Eventually, it wasn't only the old and dying that were lining up for the vampires' services. The young, the rich, and the famous eventually realized that they could be young, rich, and beautiful forever if only they could be vampires, too. They were already doing everything they could to preserve their youth in places like Hollywood. What was botox, if not venom? Governments were petitioned, more meetings were convened, and more rules were established.

Vampires were given specific places where they could set up vampire clubs, places where those that were willing could go and be changed into vampires. Contracts had to be signed, witnessed by both a human and a vampire consort. The vampire doing the changing was responsible for his protégé for a year's time, during which he had to train the new vampire and make them ready for their new existence. If that vampire killed an unwilling human, the new vampire and the old would be held responsible by the Italian vampires.

Not everyone entering a club was going to become a vampire. They were a very selective group, for one thing, and for another, many humans were no longer willing to be changed once they got in the club and met an actual vampire. But the clubs served their purpose, and biting wasn't the only thing that went on there. There was plenty of vampire/human sex as well as feeding without changing. Bella had seen more than one girl wearing a mark on her neck like a badge of honor.

"What if they don't follow the rules?"

"Then they'll lose their license and access to easy food and sex," Jessica replied, smoothing down her short black skirt and hitching up her breasts in the sparkling black halter top she wore.

"But my father…"

"Your father is in Forks, waiting for you to come home so he can push you into Jacob's arms. Do you really want to live on the reservation and pop out a billion little kids?"

Bella sighed and toyed with curl that wasn't cooperating. "Of course I don't want that." Her father was convinced that Bella needed to leave Seattle. Too many bad things happened in Seattle. There was too much violence, too many people, and most importantly too many vampires. Seattle was home to one of the exclusive vampire clubs, Venom, and that was where Bella and her friends were going tonight. Charlie Swan would have a fit if he knew.

Forks was a pleasant little town, with not a lot of action. Getting out of it had been Bella's main goal during high school, and she'd worked hard to get accepted to school at UW. Next year, she'd graduate with her Journalism degree, and then, well, she didn't really know. Her life, once so regimented and planned, was a big blank slate. She knew what she didn't want. She didn't want Forks and Jacob and Jacob's babies, no matter what he or her father said. Isabella wanted to live. But could you really live by dying? That was something she just couldn't answer.

"Come on, Bella, what do you have to lose?" Lauren watched her closely. Bella opened her mouth, but no answer came out, and Lauren smiled triumphantly. "Exactly! Let's go!"

Bella looked at herself once more in the mirror and gave herself a mental pep talk. It was only one night. What did she have to lose? Her life, maybe, but there wasn't much of a life to speak of. Maybe she'd find one, instead. She stood and followed her friends out into the Seattle night.

Xoxoxoxox

Edward Cullen was bored. He sat on the second floor of his club, looking down at the gyrating bodies below, their forms lit by the flashing neon lights-not that he needed them to see. He was a vampire and could see even the most minute flaw from where he perched. He saw a loose thread on one man's shirt; he noticed that the girl in the green tank top had a smaller right breast than left, and that her friend had a pimple forming on her forehead.

"See anything you like?"

Edward didn't turn to address the vampire behind him, for he knew who it was before he spoke. His brother smelled like the desert to him.

"No, Jas, I don't," Edward replied, his voice indicating his irritation. "What about you?"

Jasper leaned over the railing and took everyone in. "That brunette in the pink dress looks tempting."

Edward glanced at her and shrugged. She wasn't tempting to him, but his brother was less discriminating in his tastes. Then again, his brother wasn't troubled with her vapid thoughts, either. She wanted to be pretty forever. Edward rolled his eyes. Like being a vampire was all about being attractive for eternity? What happened to wanting to be somebody in this world, do good things, or even bad? He didn't really give a damn, but some ambition beyond being pretty was required.

"If you pick her, don't change her," he warned his brother.

Jasper laughed, shaking back his blond hair. "I won't be changing anyone for another two months. Not until I can get rid of Maria."

Edward smirked, and Jasper scowled. Yes, Edward had warned his brother, but he hadn't listened. He'd loved her hot Latin temper, their hot sex and her gorgeous body. He hadn't expected her to turn on him the instant she woke up after the change. He'd endured more than one painful reattachment of valued body parts due to her fiery temper.

"I won't say it," Edward told him, but his tone said it all. I told you so.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean that I won't be fucking the shit out of some hot pussy tonight. I'll deal with Maria when I go home."

Edward laughed and shook his head. He'd not changed a human since the vampires went public a couple of years ago. He'd changed several in the chambers at Volterra, though-practice for when they revealed themselves to the human population. The idea had been Edward's, and though Aro had balked at first, he'd come around to it after some thought and discussion with his brothers. Edward, fortunately, hadn't had to assume possession of his creations. Aro had them destroyed right after they transformed, as they were just test subjects.

"Who's ready to party?"

Edward nodded his head at Emmett, his other brother by venom. The tall, giant of a man was built like a linebacker, but had the enthusiasm of a five year old.

"Somebody's enjoying their freedom," Edward observed dryly.

"Damn right! Jane's on her way to Volterra, and I can now live my life without fear of pissing her off and getting the shit zapped out of me at the drop of a hat." Emmett had changed Jane just over a year ago, liking her spitfire attitude and her compact, sexy body. However, like Edward, Jane had a latent talent that didn't show up until she became a vampire. She had the ability to transmit pain with her mind, and it felt much like getting hit with one of those taser guns. Tasers didn't work on vampires, but Jane did. And anytime Emmett had pissed her off, she'd fried him good. He'd had to endure it since he'd signed the contract, but as soon as his year was up, Emmett had sent her to Aro, who would make good use of her talent.

His brother's choices had left Edward grateful for the fact that he'd yet to take responsibility for a newborn vampire, though at times he was lonely. He could get laid any minute of the day, but it wasn't the same as spending time with someone, teaching them the intricacies of being a vampire and just enjoying one another, both in and out of bed.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Emmett leaned forward, his muscles bulging against his black polo shirt as he gripped the railing, his red eyes focusing on the entrance to the club.

Edward followed his gaze and noted three girls coming in, the girl in front was a blonde with a killer body, and the brunette next to her wasn't bad looking, either. Jasper licked his lips. The third girl was shorter and slightly behind them, yet to be revealed.

"Blondie's mine," Emmett declared, immediately vaulting over the railing and landing on a table down below. There were several gasps and shrieks at his behavior from the humans who'd yet to see a vampire in action.

"Well, brother dear, what say you?" Jasper asked, his eyes on the brunette with the frizzy hair.

"Have at it," Edward told him. He wasn't overly impressed, and both girls were thinking the usual thoughts. I want to live forever. I look super hot. Imagine having this body for all of eternity, with a hot vampire boyfriend at my side. Blah, blah, etc.

What am I doing here? Is that a vampire? The guy at the door was, I'm sure of it. This was a bad idea. I'm not going to find whatever's missing at a vampire club, for God's sakes.

Edward tilted his head. That was different. He watched as his brother's each appeared at the girls' sides, offering their hands, which were immediately accepted as they moved onto the dance floor.

It was then that Edward saw her. The girl that wasn't sure she should be there. His red gaze turned black as his eyes moved over her perfect face. Her skin was so light that it was almost translucent. Edward immediately regretted the flashing lights of the club, for he wanted to see her luminous skin in white light and in total darkness. Anywhere, really. Her wide, frightened eyes captured him, and he felt his hand tighten around the table's edge. He wanted to touch that skin, feel that softness between his fingertips, and take the fear off her face.

He watched as she bit her lip and looked around uncertainly. Her friends had already abandoned her for his brothers, and he could tell, even without focusing on her thoughts, that she was thinking of hightailing it out of the club. He could not have that. He stood abruptly and ran down the steps, past his bodyguard. Nobody was allowed onto the second level of the club without a special invitation from Edward, and he had yet to grant one, though he was thinking of rectifying that immediately for the gorgeous girl in blue.

He ignored the writhing bodies as he walked slowly through them. Though he was impatient to be near her, he savored the path to get to her. It felt to him like something momentous was happening, and he almost swore that he felt his dead heart pounding in his chest. Too soon, and not soon enough, he was in front of the girl, and she was even more glorious up close. His eyes moved over her hungrily.

Bella saw the man-no vampire-with the strange hair approaching. It was hard to tell, with the strobe lights going off everyplace, but she swore she could see a mix of brown, blond, and red there. His eyes were black, which frightened her, but something about the way he was looking at her told her that she had nothing to fear. She felt as if she were a priceless painting or something, the way he watched her. She held her breath as he approached, for she knew he was coming for her.

When he stopped directly in front of her, she gasped at the utter beauty of the man before her. The vampire at the front door had been handsome, and the two vampires that had absconded with her friends had been even better looking. But this vampire, right in front of her, looking at her like she was the only person in the room, was the most gorgeous thing she'd ever seen in her lifetime.

He's beautiful. Edward smiled at her thoughts.

"Hello, my name is Edward Cullen." He held out a hand and waited anxiously to see if she would take it.

Bella looked from his hand to his eyes and back again, and before she had a conscious thought about it, her hand slid into his. She gasped at the blast of heat she felt at his touch, which was odd because his hand was icy cold. She knew that, and could feel it, but all she felt was blazing warmth inside. Edward felt it, too, and moaned softly as his hand flexed around hers.

"And you are?" he asked, when he regained his composure.

"Isabella Swan. My friends call me Bella," she answered, her musical voice warming him along with her touch.

Beautiful, he thought; what a fitting name for this gorgeous creature. "Well, then, I hope that you will allow me to call you Bella." He smiled at her, and her heartbeat increased exponentially. Edward was amused by this reaction; for he got it all the time, but this was the first time he actually longed to hear it.

Her breath hitched, and she nodded shyly. Edward moved his thumb over the back of her hand, and both felt tingles at the little bit of movement.

"Bella, would you like to join me upstairs? We can speak better up there." And there would not be all these annoying humans and vampires staring at them, even while they moved together on the dance floor.

Her eyes flickered to the top of the club, and then back to Edward. "I guess?"

It was more of a question than an answer, but Edward took the affirmative and walked her through the mass of gyrating bodies. He growled quietly at some of the thoughts assaulting him, for he was not the only one captivated by Isabella's beauty. Vampire and human alike had noticed her, though none of them was stupid enough to make a move on her. Edward Cullen reeked of power, and nobody was going to mess with that.

They reached the stairs, and Edward nodded to Felix, who stepped aside and carefully avoided looking at the girl with his boss. He knew of Edward's talent, and he knew it was best to avoid the temptation of the beautiful girl. She may not know it, but she'd been chosen by one of the most powerful vampires in the world-one who would not hesitate to kill him if he entertained lecherous thoughts of the woman.

Edward guided Bella up the stairs, allowing her to walk just in front of him but continuing to hold her hand, needing that contact between them. His eyes moved down her back, admiring the criss-cross opening that revealed her sexy skin, the curve of her ass, and those perfect, shapely legs. She stumbled over the last step, and he released her hand, catching her around the waist and pulling her against him fluidly. Bella gasped as she felt his hard body pressed against her and more heat shot through her body. She'd never wanted anyone the way she wanted this vampire, and yet, she knew nothing more than his name. That fact should have embarrassed her, but she found it excited her, instead. She wondered if this club had private rooms and just what they could do in one.

Edward's breath caught at her thoughts, and he had to fight the urge to pick her up and carry her into his private chambers. He'd never taken another being into them, electing to fuck them in one of the rooms designed for just that. His space was private, and he didn't feel the need to share. But he found himself wanting to now.

He shook his head and released her waist, moving around her to take her hand and guide her to his booth in the back. The table he'd been at before was no longer necessary, for she was all he wanted to see now. Bella slid into the booth, and he moved next to her.

"Can I get you a drink or anything?"

Bella shook her head shyly. "No, I think I need a clear head."

He smiled at her words, for her thoughts indicated that she felt drunk around him without the liquor.

"Water, perhaps? Wine?"

She bit her lip, and then nodded. "I guess a glass of wine would be okay. Red, maybe?"

Red, the color of blood. Yes, he very much wanted to see that on those perfect pink lips. He sent a quiet order, and a glass of wine appeared on their table less than a minute later; the bartender brought it up himself, giving a quick bow, before disappearing back down the stairs.

"Wow," Bella said, her eyes wide. "How did you do that?"

Edward smiled and ran his free hand over the stem of her wine glass. "We have excellent hearing."

"I guess so." She picked up her glass and took a delicate sip. Edward admired the way she tilted her head, her beautiful throat on display. She swallowed, and he longed to reach out and feel the motion of the liquid moving down her throat, but he held back, for now. She licked a drop off her lip, and Edward bit back a groan. His cock had been hard from the moment he'd locked eyes on her, but now, being near her was sheer physical torture-albeit the most pleasant torture of his existence.

"Tell me about yourself, Isabella Swan."

She met his gaze again and shrugged. "What would you like to know?"

Everything. "Anything you want to tell me. I'll ask questions, if need be."

She bit her bottom lip again, and Edward fought back the urge to lean forward and bite it himself. It was so plump and pink and tempting.

"I'm twenty-one years old, a Journalism major at UW. I'm from a small town not too far away called Forks. My father is the police chief there. I guess that's about it."

Edward laughed. That was just scratching the surface. He noticed that she hadn't mentioned her mother and filed that away. "What do you like?"

Bella's face went blank, and her hand flexed in his. "In what way?" Sexual thoughts filled her mind, and Edward growled softly again. Bella heard his growl this time, but instead of frightening her, it intrigued her.

He bit off the growl and shook his head slightly to clear his own mental images. There was plenty of time for that. He'd make damn sure of it. "What do you like to do in your spare time, when you're not studying?"

Bella blushed a little, and he didn't resist this time, reaching over and touching the apple of her cheek. She leaned into his caress and closed her eyes, delighting in the heat moving through her skin at the icy touch.

"I like this very much," she told him, and he laughed quietly.

"So do I. What else do you like?"

Her eyes flashed open, and she answered him without thinking. "You."

He smiled softly and brushed his thumb across her lips, which formed into a pucker as she kissed his fingertip. "I like you, too, and I must admit that is a first for me."

Her eyes flashed with some emotion that he couldn't name. "I'm sure in a place like this; you meet a lot of girls."

Ahhh, jealousy. He smiled as he recognized the tone in her voice. Hadn't he just felt it moments ago when the men downstairs had made their desire for her known in their thoughts?

He couldn't deny her words, but she needed to know she was special to him already. "I do, but I have never brought one up here before." His eyes and his tone of voice told her not to doubt the veracity of his words.

Bella believed him. "Thank you."

He smiled and brought her hand to his lips, grazing her knuckles softly. "The pleasure is all mine. You are easily the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Human or vampire, for that matter."

Bella shook her head, laughing lightly. "I highly doubt that."

"Miss Bella, vampires have excellent eyesight. I know what I see." She flushed again, and Edward swallowed back the venom that welled up at the sight of that beautiful blood pooling beneath her skin.

"Well, thank you again, then." He smiled and squeezed her hand gently as he placed it down on the table, playing with her fingers absently as he watched her intently. "You are very welcome. You didn't answer my question about what else you liked, besides me, of course."

His smile was electric, and Bella found herself wanting to kiss him, but she held back and tried to focus on his question.

Edward wanted to kiss her, as well, but he wanted to know her nearly as much as he wanted to touch her. It was a weird feeling for him, and he was enjoying every moment of it.

"Well, I like to write, obviously. And I love to read." Her mind filled with classics, like Jane Austin and Charlotte Bronte, Faulkner and Hemingway. Edward approved of a girl that appreciated the classics. "I love baseball and watching TV. And I like to sew."

He smiled. "Perhaps you could make me something sometime." Her mind filled with images of a soft green sweater, and he mentally applauded her choice.

"I'd like that," she murmured quietly. She took another sip of her wine. "What do you like?"

Edward chuckled quietly. "I like baseball, as well. I like reading, swimming, meeting new people, sex…" His eyes devoured her as he uttered the last word. Bella's body reacted to his words instantly, her nipples hardening and her panties getting wet. She shifted, and Edward caught the scent of her arousal. He growled louder this time.

"That, uh, yeah, well, everybody likes that," Bella stammered, her cheeks heating once again.

"Not everyone," Edward said, watching her. "Do you?"

Her mind flashed to some guy with dark hair groping her and panting. Edward wanted to murder him immediately. "When it's done right."

The guy in her memory hadn't done it right, that much he could tell. "I suppose that's true." He toyed with telling her that he knew how to do it right, but he could hear in her thoughts that she suspected as much; plus he didn't want to be crass.

Instead, he asked the thing he'd wanted to ask since he first saw her. "What brings you here tonight, Bella?"

Her eyes flashed with something akin to alarm, and she shifted in her seat again. "I, I don't know." Her mind was filled with confusion and fear. He stroked his thumb over her hand, seeking to soothe her.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Bella. I won't judge you. I just want to know why you're here." It was vitally important that he know, because he wanted her like he'd wanted no one else. He wanted her to be a vampire.

She sighed and shrugged, but her shoulders relaxed when she did so, releasing some of the tension that had coursed through her at his question. She knew she could tell him. It should disturb her that she wanted to be so open with this man, with this vampire, but she couldn't help herself.

"I'm here because Lauren and Jess wanted to come." He looked at her expectantly, and she plowed on. "I'm here because I was curious about you- well, not you specifically, since I'd never met you, but vampires."

He chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with curiosity. And now that you're here, what do you want?"

"You." That answer was easy and nothing but the truth.

Edward smiled and brought her hand to his face, pressing his lips to her wrist and feeling her heart racing. "You have me. What else do you want?"

"Excitement." He raised a brow, and she blew out a breath. "All my life, I've done what was expected of me. I got straight As, I was a good girl, I dated Jacob because my Dad wanted me to. The only time I defied him was when I broke up with Jake before I came to school."

Jacob. Edward filed that name away. He felt wrathful toward the boy who'd touched his Bella. For she was his now; this was his most simple truth.

"I want to start living for me," Bella told him.

"And you choose to start living here, with me?" he asked, holding his breath as he awaited her answer.

Bella's breath hitched. She knew what he was asking, and she knew the answer she wanted to give. It went against all logic. If she asked for time, she knew he'd give it to her. But if she had time, she'd talk herself out of what she really wanted and go home and marry Jake like everybody but her wanted.

"Yes." Her voice was strong with her conviction. She wanted this. She wanted the excitement of forever. She wanted this vampire.

Edward felt relief wash over him at that simple word. He'd been afraid to ask, and he was never afraid of anything. Hadn't he gone head to head with Aro, head of all the vampires, on the going public issue? He'd fought in wars against vampires bigger and stronger than he was and never had a moment's fear. But this human woman could bring him to his knees with one word. It was humbling and exciting. He knew that he'd found his mate. He could tell by the way she made him feel. He'd heard it in the thoughts and minds of other vampires, but had never experienced it until Bella walked into his life.

He sent a soft verbal command, and a couple of minutes later, Jay Jenks was led upstairs by Felix. He was a human lawyer that was in charge of all the vampire contracts at Club Venom. He eyed Edward warily as he took a thick stack of papers out of his briefcase and slid it in front of him and Bella.

"This is the human to vampire contract. I know you don't need to read it, sir, but perhaps the young lady should look it over before she signs?"

Jasper appeared at the top of the stairs, shirtless and with his jeans unbuttoned, none too pleased about being interrupted. "I'm here, what's the…" His voice trailed off as he saw Bella and the contract. "Hot damn, brother. You finally found someone you want to turn?"

Bella gasped a little at the sight of shirtless Jasper, and Edward would have been annoyed, except that her thoughts were full of how he'd look without a shirt. Edward smiled and kissed her hand, for she would see soon enough.

"Yes. Jasper, this is Isabella Swan-Bella to her friends. Bella, this is my brother, Jasper."

Jasper took Bella's free left hand in his and shook it gently. "It's an honor to meet the girl that captured my brother's fancy. I never thought that he'd find someone."

Edward chuckled darkly. "Unlike some people, I wasn't willing to settle. She is my mate."

Jasper's mouth dropped open, and Bella looked at Edward in confusion.

"Mate?"

Edward wrapped an arm around her, and both of them felt the heat of their connection as more of their skin touched. "It's this…this feeling that we have between us. That is the feeling of one mate bonding to the other. I will never feel this with anyone but you, nor you with anyone but me."

Bella looked at him shyly and smiled. "I like it."

"As do I, love." Her cheeks heated at his words. He ran his right hand along her cheek, down her lips, and along her jaw.

Love. The word should have given him pause, but it didn't. For her part, Bella was vibrating with the need to be alone with him, as soon as possible. She didn't know when he'd change her, but she damn well hoped it wouldn't be before he touched her.

Edward heard that thought and couldn't have agreed more. "Jasper and Jay are our witnesses. Feel free to read if you need to, or I could summarize."

Bella looked at him trustingly. "Summarize, please."

"It just says that you agree to being changed into a vampire, giving up your human life and stepping into eternity with me. You are to abide by the rules the vampires have agreed to with the humans. On my end, it says that I promise to take care for you for at least a year's time, the most volatile time for a newborn vampire. I will teach you how to control your bloodlust, teach you how to feed from a human without killing them, and teach you how to take a life without causing undo pain. After the year is up, you would be free to leave me, were you not my mate, but I can assure you that I won't be sending you away, nor will you be leaving."

Bella laughed breathlessly. "I can't imagine that I'd want to leave you, ever."

He smiled at her words, because the thought of her leaving terrified him. He couldn't fathom how this girl had changed his life in only an hour's time. It was ridiculous, yet oddly fitting for him.

Jasper chuckled. "You are truly gone, brother."

"Someday it'll happen to you, and I'll be sure to laugh at your expense." Edward didn't take his eyes off Bella as he spoke.

"Miss Bella, you need to sign here and here if you agree to the terms. I need to see your license, as you must be twenty-one or over to become a vampire; otherwise, you need parental consent." That had been one of the human stipulations. If you were old enough to drink, they figured you were old enough to die, if you wanted.

Bella released Edward's hand, got her license out of her purse, and took the pen that Jenks offered her, and signed on the dotted line. She handed it to Edward, who scrawled his signature without looking away from her. Jasper signed as the vampire witness, and Jenks signed as the human one.

"I'll file this with the county in the morning."

"Thank you. Leave us now." He was impatient to be alone with her again, and he made that clear in his tone.

"Happily," Jasper muttered, hurrying back to where Jessica waited in one of the rooms below. Jenks also hurried away as fast as his human legs would carry him.

"So, what do we now?"

Edward smiled at her question. There were so many things he wanted to do before he changed her. "Will you dance with me?"

She smiled and nodded.

He slid out of the booth and gently pulled her along with him. Instead of taking her down onto the dance floor, he just pulled her against him next to their booth, swaying to the last the few notes of the song that had been blaring downstairs.

"There's a song that makes me think of you. Well, not you specifically, but vampires."

Edward cocked his head and looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms. His mate. "What song is that?"

"E.T. by Katy Perry," she told him.

He chuckled. "I'm an alien?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Well, in a way, I guess. It's kind of a sexy song, and it talks about taking me and filling me with your poison, and well…isn't that kind of what you're going to do?"

His eyes got darker, and his arms tightened around her. He murmured something, and almost immediately, the song cut off and the opening strains of E.T. started playing.

"You really are the boss around here, aren't you?" she asked, laughing as they began to move to the music, their hips pressed together as they slowly swayed.

"Yes, I am, and so will you be."

Edward listened to the words of the song, and he couldn't help but agree with her. "Do you think I'm the devil, or an angel?"

Bella looked up at him and slid her hands on either side of his face. "Whatever you want to be. It doesn't matter to me."

He lowered his head toward her, and her grip on his face tightened as his lips touched hers for the first time. Both of them were blasted with heat at the first touch of lip to lip. He moaned and pressed his tongue against her lips. She opened to him, and he slipped inside her, doing a lazy dance with his tongue in time to the music. She was everything to him, and he'd never been complete until this exact moment. He belonged to her fully; and if he could have told her that, he would have, but that would require him to remove his lips from hers, which he was loathe to do.

Bella didn't need to hear the words, for she felt them in his touch. This was right. This was where she belonged, at his side.

Kiss me, kkkkiss me, infect me with your love babe, fill me with your poison. Take me, ttttake me, wanna be a victim, ready for abduction.

The words invaded his subconscious, and he pulled away from her lips with a smile. "I guess this song is rather appropriate. You are sure, aren't you?"

She ran her thumbs over his sexy jaw. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. Will you take me now?"

Edward didn't need any further prompting. He took her hand and led her to the back wall that housed the entrance to his chambers. He touched a button, and the wall slid open. Bella swung their hands between them as they walked down the dark hallway together. She trusted him to lead her, just as she trusted him with her very existence.

He touched another invisible button on the wall, and it slid open, revealing a bright room, lit by a fireplace. There were walls of bookshelves, and fluffy green couch that looked very inviting to Bella. Edward led her past it and opened French doors, bringing forth the bedroom. It held a large, four poster, king sized bed with a fluffy white bedspread. The room had cherry wood furniture, and the bed and headboard matched.

Edward stopped at the foot of the bed and looked at Bella. "Is this what you want? We can wait if you…"

She cut him off with a searing kiss, pressing her body against his, her nipples hardening against his chest. His hands found her waist, and he pulled her as close as he possibly could without being inside her, his lips devouring hers.

His hands moved over the bare skin on her back, finding her zipper and lowering it slowly, tracing every new inch of her skin that was revealed as he pulled it down. He knew he should talk to her, get to know his mate, but he had to have her. Still, there were things he must explain.

"Bella," he said her name against her lips, and she made a little sound and tried to kiss him harder again. Edward smiled and pulled back, running his hands along the curve of her spine, making her shiver, despite the heat suffusing her body.

"Bella, my sweet, there's something I must tell you."

Fear flashed in her eyes for the first time since he'd approached her. He shook his head quickly at her thoughts. No, he wasn't married. No, he wasn't changing his mind. He hurried to reassure her.

"I have to tell you about what we're about to do."

Her cheeks colored slightly. "Edward, I'm not a virgin."

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, Bella, that's not it. I'm talking about after. Do you know about the change?"

Bella's face cleared of its apprehension, and she nodded quickly. He traced lazy circles over her back, unwilling to break contact while she talked. "You bite me and push your venom into me, after you drain most of my blood. I pass out and officially die a few days later. I watched the video you all released on the situation."

He smiled softly. "I'm glad you know the process, but the one thing that video doesn't show is that you will be in excruciating pain the entire time of the change. I won't leave your side, I swear it, but there's nothing I can do to lessen what you'll be feeling." Guilt swept over him at the thought of causing her pain, even if it was pain that would make it possible for her to be with him for all of eternity.

Bella touched his cheek again, her brown eyes meeting his hungry black ones. "I don't know you yet, Edward, but I know in my heart that whatever the pain, you're worth it."

He growled and kissed her hard again, pushing open the back of her dress and sliding the straps down her shoulders. He wanted to rip them off her, but he elected to take his time-this time. Their first time.

She felt his touch in the deepest recesses of her body as his fingers moved down her arms. She was impatient to feel him and she reached up and unbuttoned his black shirt, smoothing her hands over the hard, cold flesh as soon as she could reach inside. Edward gasped at her touch. Her hands were like fire moving over his skin, providing the most delicious burn he'd ever had the pleasure to experience.

Her upper torso was bare, and Edward pulled his lips away from hers, so he could focus on the body before him. Her skin was the most beautiful he'd ever seen, a pale peachy pink color. Her breasts were perfect, and his hands were on them before he could even think about it, lightly flicking each hard pink nipple with his thumbs.

"You're perfect," he murmured.

Bella watched his hands stroking her breasts, her breathing becoming uneven as she stepped closer, pressing herself into his hands more forcefully. He rolled her nipples between his thumbs and pointer fingers. Bella's head fell back as she let out a moan. Edward stared at her beautiful column of throat exposed before him and swore that in a century of feeding off humans, he'd never seen a more stunning surrender than his mate's.

Bella wanted to continue touching him, but the feeling of his hands on her body overwhelmed her. She wanted to lay back on the bed and let him do anything he wished to her-things she'd never dared to dream she'd want.

Surrender. He wanted it, and he had it. Her thoughts were driving him mad. Edward tore the rest of her dress from her body, no longer able to wait to see the rest of her.

Bella gasped, but remained still, allowing him to take her in. She knew, somehow, that he needed this. She'd never felt such instinctual understanding of a man before, but then again, she'd never met her mate until now. She didn't really know the concept, had never heard of it until now, but it felt right to her.

Edward's eyes moved over her body, as if she were the finest piece of art he'd ever seen, savoring each millimeter of skin. There was a birthmark at her right hip, and his fingers burned with the need to touch it. He traced the crescent shaped mark that reminded him of a quarter moon. He dropped to his knees and brushed the spot with his nose.

Bella looked down and watched as his tongue darted out and traced the purple mark that marred her flesh. She'd always hated it, but in that moment, she was grateful it was there. The way his tongue felt moving over her skin made any imperfection feel beautiful. She ran her hands through his hair, and he looked up at her, scraping his teeth over the lower part of the crescent. Her stomach flopped around in her belly, and she felt pressure building in her pussy. Was it possible to come from just a kiss?

Edward chuckled at her errant thought and considered testing the idea, but he was right there, right in front of her pussy, and her arousal was calling to him. He moved from her hip and kissed and licked along her panty line. Bella tugged on his hair, trying to get him to go where she so desperately wanted him. He reached up and gently tugged on her lacy black underwear, drawing it down her legs, his eyes focused on the lovely site before him.

She stepped out of them when they reached her ankles, kicking them across the room. Edward licked his lips and looked up at her. Now, her eyes were nearly black, her pupils huge, almost completely blocking the brown. She was dazed and excited, her breath coming in short pants.

Edward smirked as he pressed a kiss to her right thigh, and then her left. Her scent overwhelmed him, and he wanted to plow into her, but there was so much he wanted to do. He ran his nose through the soft curls that covered her, inhaling deeply. She spread her legs, offering him what he wanted most. He gripped her waist as he took a long, slow lick of her pussy. The heat and taste on his tongue were intoxicating. Bella's hands tugged on his hair again as a loud moan escaped her.

He plunged his tongue inside her and wiggled it as he let forth a growl. He knew just how to get a human woman off, and Bella came apart the instant the vibrations started to move through her. He held her up as her body convulsed against him, not slowing down, prolonging her orgasm as she came over and over.

Bella held on to his hair for all she was worth, unable to control the strength of her grip, as her body was not her own. Sensation after sensation swept over her as his tongue worked its magic inside of her. She was gasping, chanting his name as each wave struck. Her pussy thrust against his face as he continued to lick and growl.

Her walls clamped around his tongue, the heat and the feeling something he didn't think he could ever get enough of. Eventually, he pulled away. If such a thing were possible, his cock would be very jealous of his tongue. He wanted to bury it inside that heat, and he couldn't wait much longer.

Bella gasped for breath as he let her come down from her high. She released his hair and impatiently wiped away the tears that had somehow formed in her eyes.

Edward was horrified that she was crying. "Did I hurt you?" Fear swamped him as he stood and pulled her into his arms.

She burrowed against his chest and shook her head no, a laugh bubbling up as she pressed a kiss to his dormant heart.

"Why are you crying?"

"I have no idea. I just know I've never felt this way before, and dear God…do I get to experience that for all of eternity?"

Edward laughed and hugged her to him. "Of course, as often as you want."

She smiled. "Please change me now, then."

He shook his head and kissed her nose. "I'd really like to make love to you first, if you would be amenable to that plan?"

Her eyes twinkled as she nodded. "I would very much like that. You know what else I would like?" Edward heard what she'd like in her thoughts, but kept his mirth to himself, waiting for her to say it.

"I'd like to go home and get my vibrator and smash the hell out of it."

Edward joined in her laughter then, his chest shaking against hers. "That can be the third order of business after you awaken."

She tilted her head and looked at him with interest. "And what would be the first two?"

He stroked a finger down her cheek. "Feeding you, of course."

She nodded. That made sense to her.

"And then making love to you again."

He smiled at her, and she felt that pull in her belly again. "Well, then, I suggest you do it for the first time, so we can hurry up and get to the second."

He adored the woman before him more and more every moment he spent with her. He lifted her and carried her to the bed, yanking aside the comforter and laying her gently on the silk sheets. Bella looked up at him, her hair spilling across the pillow, her body open in invitation to him, and he let out another low growl. She was his. At last, he had found her. He yanked his shirt off, and his pants quickly followed, his cock springing free.

Bella's eyes widened at the sight of Edward's naked body. She'd never seen anything that could compare to him. She longed to touch his smooth white chest, perfectly sculpted muscles, and his long, hard cock, which pointed directly at her, as if to agree with Edward's thought that she was his. She reached toward him, and he lowered himself into her arms. Their lips met as he rested his body atop hers, their skin rubbing against one another and sending waves of heat throughout their bodies.

He rubbed his cock against her heat, wanting to be inside her more than he'd ever wanted anything. Not even the richest blood he'd ever drunk could compare to the feeling of his mate underneath him. Bella spread her legs wider and pressed against him, the tip of his cock sliding into her. They both gasped, and Edward pushed inside her in one swift, smooth motion. Their eyes held as their bodies were truly joined at last.

Home, she thought.

Edward's mind echoed Bella's. Nothing felt more right than she did. His eyes held hers as he moved slowly in and out of her. She wrapped her legs around him, willing him to go deeper, and he shifted to accommodate her. She reached up and touched his jaw, before tracing his lips.

"Edward? Is it possible for you to bite me right now, without changing me?"

The desire in her voice made him want to crush her throat to his lips and taste her, but he knew he'd not be able to stop at just a taste if he got his teeth buried in that gorgeous neck.

"Give me that finger," he told her.

Bella's smile lit up her face, and he was stunned at how glorious she was. She was more beautiful than even the loveliest vampire. She slid her left pointer finger into his mouth, and he licked and sucked it, swirling it with his tongue, before he pulled back slightly and pricked her skin with one tooth. A drop of blood slid onto his tongue, and he groaned at the taste of her. Bella moaned as he thrust harder inside her, sucking on her finger. Her pussy tightened around him as she came, the pleasure sweeping over her, her head pressing back into the pillow, her neck offered to him.

The only thing he wanted more than her blood was her. He released her finger and ran his tongue over it, sealing the wound with a little venom. "You are exquisite," he told her.

Her eyes flashed opened. "I taste good?"

He chuckled darkly. "You, my dear, are the finest wine, the juiciest steak, and the smoothest whiskey, all in one."

"Do you want more?"

He groaned at her innocent words. She did not know what she was offering, the control it was taking not to suck the life out of her, to bury himself so deeply inside her that he would break several bones. If it weren't for the fact that he loved her, he would have.

"I do, but I'll take it soon."

He kissed her pouting lips, and she opened her mouth to him. He slid his tongue into her mouth. She could taste herself on him, her pussy and her blood, and she found it extremely erotic. Edward had awakened a side of her that she never knew existed, but she knew she never wanted to lose it again.

Edward felt that tingling sensation in his balls and knew he wouldn't be able to hold out for nearly as long as he would have liked. Seeing her reaction to the blood, feeling her suck on his tongue as if she wanted to taste herself, was nearly too much for him. He lifted her hips and plunged deeper inside her, swallowing her cry of pleasure and pain as he fucked her harder.

His hips slapped against hers, the sound echoing throughout the room. Her legs tightened around him, her feet digging into his ass as she urged him faster and deeper. He complied, speeding up as she started to convulse underneath him. Her pussy clamped against his cock, and he broke their kiss, throwing back his head and letting loose a loud growl as he came deep inside her, his cool venom spilling into her fiery heat.

He collapsed against her, and they lay there for an interminable amount of time, him listening to her heartbeat, and Bella running her hands over his back. He found his composure eventually and looked down at her. She was completely sated, smiling lazily as she looked up at him.

"That was indescribable," Bella told him.

He heard the riot of thoughts in her head, the things she wanted to say and was rejecting as too lame, clichéd, and frightening. They weren't, though. He felt everything that she did.

"It was." He stroked her hair away from her face, marveling at its softness. "I know this sounds silly, all things considered, but I feel like before we do this, it should be said."

She was confused, and her nose wrinkled a little as she questioned him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I've already pledged my life to you. You're my mate. I've made love to you. But I haven't said it, and I need to rectify that before we move ahead."

"Said what?" She brushed her fingers through his hair, and he leaned into her touch.

"I love you."

Her eyes filled with tears again, and she nodded. "I love you, too. It's insane, because I don't even know you, but I just do."

"We will get to know one another. We've all the time in the world." He'd have to tell her that he could read her mind. He wondered if that would piss her off and decided to deal with that at another time.

"I know." She leaned up and kissed him lightly.

"Are you ready?"

"More ready than I've ever been in my entire life."

"Your life has been fleeting, Bella. Twenty-one years is nothing compared to what you're about to be given."

"I know. I know my father's going to be pissed. I know my friends will be shocked. I just don't care, though. This is what I want, Edward. Take me." She touched his handsome face again. "Fill me with your poison, just like the song said."

He kissed her, long and hard. He released her lips and kissed along her cheek, down to her left ear. "You'll be mine, forever."

"That's all I want," she murmured. She'd found it, that missing piece and now everything had clicked into place.

He kissed her earlobe, then behind her ear, letting his tongue dart out to taste her soft skin. It felt like forever to Bella until he reached her neck. He sucked on the delicate skin there, catching it in his teeth and sweeping his tongue over the skin without breaking. Bella moaned and wriggled with impatience. He released her and looked down at her, this beauty that had captured him so completely.

He kissed her lips one more time. Bella smiled up at him and nodded, completely trusting him with her life. That was intoxicating to Edward, that complete and utter trust. He kissed her wet skin, tasting his venom mixed with the floral flavor that she carried with her. His left hand twined with her right as he opened his mouth and sank his teeth gently into her throat. Her blood poured into his mouth, and her grip on his hand tightened. He lapped at her neck, swallowing mouthfuls of hot blood.

Though her taste was unlike anything he'd ever had before, and though he wanted to drain her completely, Edward would not let himself be overcome by her unique, perfect taste. He listened as her heart began to fade. He felt her grip on his hand begin to loosen, and he stopped, pushing his venom into her wound. It wasn't difficult for Edward to work up the venom he needed to change her. He'd only to glance at that pale, naked body beneath him, and his desire started all over again. It would be a long three days, but she was worth the wait.

He sealed her neck with a long sweep of his tongue, savoring the last taste of her blood that he'd ever get. Her eyes were closed, and her heart was fluttering softly, no longer the strong beat from before, but strong enough to pump the venom through her veins. Edward moved from atop her, rolling the two of them so that her head rested against his chest.

"I'll stay, my love. I'll be right here when you wake."

He lay back and began to count the seconds until she awoke, for time was nothing until she was with him again.


	2. Chapter 2

FINALLY! Yep, I'm back. I do not have set dates for updating, likely to be weekly or every other week, I'm not setting a clock on this one. Let's get to know Edward a bit, shall we?

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 2

Edward used to think nothing of time. He'd spent days stalking prey, months on missions for Aro, years planning the revelation of vampires to humans, decades on an even bigger plan, and it had passed in the blink of an eye. Never before had three days felt so interminable. As he'd promised, he refused to leave Bella's side, even though she was completely unaware of his presence as she burned quietly next to him. Her mind was silent to him now, which was frustrating, but he'd found that it was like that for every change he'd witnessed. Perhaps the brain shut down during the changing process, as it changed itself. He didn't know; all he knew was that he missed her.

He filled the time by talking to her, telling her about the new life she was about to embark on, wondering more about the one she'd left behind. "You can have anything you desire," he promised, tracing a finger lightly over her cheek. "Together, we can rule the world, or we can disappear and live completely off the grid." He tangled his fingers in her silky brown hair. "I was contemplating moving on, you know." She didn't, but he kept on talking anyway. "I was already tired of this place; these humans with their vapid thoughts and the vampires that were no better."

Sex, blood, good times…Edward had nothing against the concept, but it had gotten old for him. There was no challenge when they came willingly to be eaten or had, or both. "I was thinking of heading back to Italy, coming up with some new ideas…" He trailed off and smiled down at his slumbering mate. "How would you feel about being First Lady of the United States, or hell, the President?" To Edward's mind, it was the next natural step. Vampires had semi-equal footing with humans as it stood right now, although that was only because humans couldn't kill them, and for the moment, vamps were content with that. But it was only a matter of time before they ascended; after all, they were the highest on the food chain. Already some minor royals had become vampires of their own free will; one day, perhaps they would lead their countries. And then?

Edward was no fool. He knew they had to start small; a congressman here, a senator there. Run for office and likely be defeated at first, as humans would more than likely fear giving a vampire a position of power. "Though it's not like we couldn't just take it if we wanted to, and they know that." They had all the time in the world to wait it out and to take power the right way.

"Before you, my love, that was all that I wanted." He pulled Bella gently against his chest. "It was all I had." But that had all changed now. He felt better, happier, than he'd ever been in his lifetime, either one of them. Bella was his focus now. If she wanted to be the queen of the world, he'd find a way to make that happen for her. If she wanted to travel, he'd take her from one end of the earth to the other. If she wanted to do nothing but make love all day every day, he'd thank whatever god had sent her his way.

"I can't wait to know you."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. It was so strange. The girl was his entire world now and he only knew the most basic facts about her. He used to laugh at his fellow vampires when they fell victim to their mates. He'd thought it rather pathetic that they fell instantly, with no choice in the matter. What if the mate was stupid? Annoying? A terrible lover? He could only be beyond grateful that his Bella was none of those things. He didn't know much, but he knew enough to know that. She was smart enough to get a scholarship to UW. She was sweet and kind and good, if a bit impulsive. But that was okay. It had worked in his favor, hadn't it? And God knew she wasn't a terrible lover. Wasn't he burning to touch her again already? Wasn't he counting down the minutes until he could feel her incredible body moving with his again, joined in a way that only mates could truly be joined: body, heart, and soul?

I'll just go in and see my new sister for myself. No sooner had the thought hit than Edward growled and clutched his mate to his body tighter. "If you step foot in my-our-room without permission, I'll kill you before you cross the threshold," he threatened darkly. Nobody, not even his brother, was going to lay eyes on his mate's naked body and live.

"Damn, bro, I just wanted to see the girl that got you of all people to settle." The hurt in Emmett's voice had Edward relaxing just a little bit.

"You can meet her when she awakens. I'll need you and Jasper to help me feed her." A part of him hated that he had to share that momentous moment with anyone, but a newborn vampire could be volatile, and he'd need his brother's strength to hold her as he showed her what to do.

"Okay, we can do that." Emmett sounded slightly mollified, and Edward decided to give him something tangible to do.

"I could also use your help getting Bella's things and bringing them here so that she has clothes and whatever else she wants on hand. Do you think you and Jasper could do that?"

"Yeah, bro, we got it. Her roommates want to bang again anyway!"

Edward chuckled at the enthusiasm he heard in his brother's voice. "You're not going to change them, are you?" Although if they did, his Bella would have her friends with her in her new life. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, but if she wanted it, he would make it happen, regardless of his brothers' feelings on the issue.

"Nah. Lauren's a good bang, but she's pretty bossy, and Jessica's already going all stalker on Jasper." Emmett's boisterous laugh rang out. "I told him to sic Maria on her and kill two birds with one stone, but…"

"Yeah, not the best idea." Edward had enough clout that he could spare his brother's destruction if one of his newborns ran amuck, but it was a headache that he didn't need to deal with. His only focus now was the woman in his arms.

"I guess not. He can survive another couple of months. We'll go get the stuff and leave it outside the door?" Emmett asked tentatively.

Edward felt a bit bad for threatening his brother's life, but he couldn't apologize, for he still meant it. Nobody was going to see his Bella's lovely naked body but him. "That'll be great, thanks."

"We'll be back in time to run the club tonight," Emmett promised, knowing his brother wasn't going to leave his room until Bella woke up. He hesitated, but figured he'd better tell Edward. "Aro's been calling since he hasn't been able to get in touch with you." He didn't dare suggest that Edward return the call. He knew better.

"That sounds good, thanks." Edward dismissed his brother and shot a glare at his cell phone. It was halfway across the room and he'd have to release Bella for a precious few seconds in order to get it. He wasn't in the mood to play the game with Aro, but if he didn't return the calls, Aro would no doubt enjoy lording his leadership over on him. It was such a joke, really. If Edward wanted to be the public face of the vampires, he would have done it. He preferred quiet leadership from within…for now.

"One day," he murmured to his girl, "we'll take it all." He kissed her softly before releasing her and grabbing his phone. It took him less than two seconds to have her back in his arms, but as far as he was concerned, it was two seconds too long. "I'm sorry, baby. We have to play the game until you say the word." He settled back with Bella's head resting on his left shoulder. He dialed the number and waited.

"Edward, my boy, I hear congratulations are in order!"

Edward's eyes narrowed at Aro's greeting. His brothers knew better than to reveal anything personal about Edward, so one of the staff must have ratted him out. He didn't like the idea that Aro had eyes on him all the way over here.

"And just where did you hear that, Aro?" Edward asked, managing to keep the anger out of his voice. Years of practice had taught him how to keep his voice from betraying his feelings.

Aro's cackling laugh filled the line. "A little birdie told me, of course! I'm surprised that I didn't hear it from you yourself."

Edward heard the rebuke in the words. "I would have if the birdie hadn't beaten me to it." And that birdie was going to be dead as soon as his Bella was taken care of. "I've been a bit busy with my mate."

"I'm sure! And I am thrilled for you, even though the women of Volterra are all heartbroken right now."

Edward rolled his eyes. Being one of the unmated Volturi members had both its advantages and disadvantages, in that the female vampires were always angling to grab power by seduction. Edward had never been stupid enough to allow it, though. He kept his conquests away from his vocation; it was just easier that way.

"I imagine they'll get over it." After all, there were plenty of willing vampires to take them up on their wily ways.

"In time, perhaps." Aro laughed again. "So tell me about the woman that has managed to capture your fancy! I have to admit, I never thought I'd see the day!"

Edward breathed in the scent of his beautiful girl to keep himself from saying anything rash and ending the conversation prematurely like he wanted to. With Aro, one had to be patient and not give in to emotion.

"Her name is Bella and she's, well, she was a college student here. She's twenty-one and an only child. Her dad's a cop and her mom's out of the picture."

"I trust she's as beautiful as her name?"

Edward eyed his lovely girl. "Even more so."

"I look forward to meeting her soon, then."

The demand in the comment had Edward's back up, but he held his temper. "I'm sure she'll want to see Volterra once she has her impulses under control."

"We'll roll out the welcome mat for her! Truly, Edward, I'm delighted you've found your other half. There's nothing like a mate to ground us and keep us from getting in over our heads."

Edward's eyes narrowed at Aro's comment. He was forever suspicious that Edward was going to usurp his power, and though Edward had every intention of doing so one day, he'd made damn sure never to think such a thing around the man. It was just Aro's overly suspicious nature that had him perceiving threats everywhere he looked.

"Funny…I always thought when I found a mate that she'd teach me how to fly. I guess we'll have to see which way it goes, won't we?" Edward knew he shouldn't have said it, but he couldn't find it in him to regret responding to Aro's challenge that way.

"As long as you don't fly too high, Edward. I'd miss you." The edge in Aro's tone left no mistake as to the warning he was giving.

Edward laughed. "As if I'd ever leave my family behind? I want Bella to meet my father and brothers."

"We're anxious to do so as well, my son!" And just like that, Aro's good humor was restored. Edward had only to play the father card and Aro remembered who his favored son truly was. "I do hope you'll have a wedding when you get to Italy. Your mother and I want nothing more than to see our boy and his mate make things official."

Edward had no trouble picturing his Bella, a vision in white, walking down the aisles of the cathedral in Volterra. "I can think of nothing I'd like more, Father."

"Excellent!" Aro clapped his hands. "I'll tell your mother that she can start planning."

Edward laughed. "Bella's heart hasn't even stopped beating yet. Don't let her get ahead of herself."

Aro chuckled. "You know your mother."

He did. Sulpicia was a force to be reckoned with when it came to the man she considered her favorite son. She'd seen Edward as a child across a crowded street fair one day and taken him before his parents could even react, breaking strict vampire law when it came to children. He'd been raised within Volterra until he was deemed of age and turned by Aro. He was the first of their many children and still the baby in her eyes.

"Just tell her to keep it conceptual until we see how Bella does with being a newborn."

"I will, but I don't know if I can keep her from coming to see you both in the very near future."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I'll let you know how she's doing."

"Just know our thoughts are with you and we're looking forward to meeting our new daughter."

"I look forward to you meeting her."

"Good! I'll let you get back to her, son. I remember that first glow of new love."

"Thanks. I'll talk to you soon. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Edward disconnected and tossed his phone on the nightstand. "So, that was my father." He spat the last word. "He's kind of crazy and paranoid, although he has good reason to be when it comes to me." He sighed and breathed in Bella's luscious scent. "They took me from my family, but they never could make me forget. That's why I'm still Edward Cullen. And you'll be Bella Cullen when you marry me." His real parents were long gone, but Edward had held on to his memories of them.

"I guess I took you from your family, too, but you wanted it." He felt a pang at the thought that his Bella might one day hate him for it. "I'll do what I can to help you hold on to yours, if you want." He never wanted her to question her choice to be with him for a minute. From the moment he'd laid eyes on her, he'd been consumed by the need to have her for eternity. He hadn't let thoughts of her life, of his, get in his way. He hated that one call from Aro had him questioning his actions.

"I had to have you. You were meant to be at my side." He brushed a stray hair off her cheek. "If you want to move to that little town, Forks, and forget this place, Italy, all of it, I will. This is my vow to you, my Bella. You come first." One thing Aro had said rang true. If Bella wanted him to walk away from his quest for vengeance and power, one she didn't even know about yet, then he'd do it. She was the most important thing in his world now, even more important than a century of plotting and planning.

His cell phone pinged with an incoming message. Edward sighed and picked it up. He'd been ignoring business for the past two days, and he knew there were bound to be things to be dealt with upon Bella's awakening. The message was from Jasper.

We got your girl's stuff but there's a problem.

Edward was pissed. What kind of message was that? He punched in a reply.

What problem?

"Why my half-assed brothers can't do anything without there being a problem involved is beyond me," he complained to his silent mate. "I love those morons, but I spend half my time pondering killing them." Emmett and Jasper were his closest friends, the two taken shortly after he was, and he did consider them to be his only true siblings, but he wouldn't mind a break from them either. Maybe now, with a mate, he'd take some time to just be alone with his Bella.

As we were leaving, her father came in, took one look at us with her stuff, and had a conniption. He's on his way to Venom.

Get back here immediately, Edward texted.

"Fuck," Edward muttered, closing his eyes and pressing his lips to Bella's forehead. "Looks like we're going to be dealing with your father sooner than mine," he told her. As if responding to his words, her heart began to beat faster. "Finally," he said, tightening his hold on her. "Let go, baby. It's almost over."

The final minutes of the change were agony for Edward. He listened, not making a sound, as her heartbeat became impossibly fast, the venom pumping through her, the minute changes that had taken place over the past few days suddenly very apparent. Her cheekbones were a little more pronounced, her skin was even more luminous. She was even more exquisite than she'd been the moment he'd laid eyes on her. As her heart gave its final beats, he kissed her lips.

"You were meant to be a queen," he murmured as her heart stuttered and stopped. He held his breath and watched as her lashes began to flutter. "Open your eyes, my Bella. Be with me, forever."

Another couple of flutters, and finally, her eyes opened, the ruby red meeting his own for the first time. He said nothing as he gazed upon her beautiful face, and she slowly reached a hand up to touch his face, surprisingly gently for a newborn. He leaned into her palm and pressed a kiss to the heel of her hand.

"Edward," she said softly, her voice somehow sweeter than before. "My Edward."

Those three words blasted through him, and he laughed and crushed her against him. "My Bella. Forever starts now. Are you ready?"

He pulled back to study her beautiful face. She licked her lips, and he bit back a groan, knowing that he had to wait before he claimed her, even though it might kill him to do so.

She smiled and pressed her lips to his in a hard, hungry kiss before releasing him. "Ready."


	3. Chapter 3

Isabella Swan felt strange. It was as if everything inside of her was coiled tightly, ready to spring. She wanted to jump and run and let loose the power she felt, but at the moment all she could do was look into the face of the vampire that had made her this way.   
How is he even more beautiful now than he was before? She wondered, because it didn’t seem like it was possible.   
Edward smiled at her thoughts and bent toward her, his pink lips lightly brushing against hers. She felt the charge from that little kiss all the way down to her toes and a light growl emitted from her throat, surprising her and making her jerk away from him. He gripped her and held on before she ran.  
“My Bella, do not be frightened.” She froze at the sound of his mellifluous voice. “You liked it when I growled before, did you not?” It didn’t take even a second for Bella to remember just what Edward’s growling had done to her when they’d made love. Thinking about that made her want him again and Edward’s fingers flexed against her shoulders. “Soon, my love. First, you need to get dressed so I can feed you.”  
At those words, Bella growled again, feeling the burn in her throat. The rest of the burn, the horrible heat that had immersed her for what felt like forever, had rescinded, leaving only the burn in her neck as a reminder of what she’d endured.   
“Food?” she asked, clutching at her throat.   
“Yes, I know you’re hungry, my love.” Love. Bella smiled at that word and got an answering, dazzling smile in return, one so bright, so beautiful that she wasn’t sure how she could survive looking at it.   
“Love.” She reached out and touched Edward’s cheek; wonder filling her at the feeling of rightness she felt when she held him.  
He turned his head and kissed her palm, sending fire moving down her hand, through her arm and filling her. Not the painful fire she’d just endured, but a blazing desire that made her want to tackle Edward to the bed and take him. He groaned as that thought, that image, filled her mind and his own.  
“Soon, my sweet. You need to get dressed so that my brothers can bring in your food.” They’d heard him-them-and already had Bella’s first meal ready. Though he hated to move away from his stunning, naked girl, Edward made himself go to his dresser and grab her a t-shirt. It would be too big on her but it would cover everything and he knew the garment would most likely be ruined with her first meal. He helped her pull the shirt over her head and straightened her hair when her head emerged through the hole.  
Bella licked her lips, her throat dry and burning so much that it almost hurt to talk. “I want…” she broke off, because it was hard to focus on just what she did want. She wanted to quench her thirst. She wanted to feel Edward inside of her. She wanted to run through forests, swim in the ocean, jump from a plane; she felt invincible and incredible.  
Edward laughed at the whirlwind of thoughts in her mind. He knew the feeling, of course, but the way her forehead furrowed with irritation at not being able to pick out which want was most prevalent in her mind was just adorable to him.  
“What do you want, my beauty?”  
Another light growl sprang from her lips and Edward had to remind himself that feeding her was the first priority, regardless of his own wants. The beautiful girl wearing nothing but his t-shirt, sitting on his bed, her head filled with images of the two of them in many inventive sexual positions was enough to drive him mad.  
“Everything,” she finally spat out, sounding very annoyed. Edward pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head for that answer, to his mind, was absolutely perfect.  
“You shall have it all, Bella,” he promised, rubbing her back lightly. “First let me feed you, and then I’ll give you everything you want.”  
That seemed to satisfy his girl, as she pulled back and the irritation no longer showed on her face or in her thoughts. “Okay. I’m ready,” she said.  
“Come in,” Edward ordered, the words no sooner out of his mouth than the door opened and his brothers stood there, big grins on their faces. Bella started to smile back at them but a scent hit her nostrils and she immediately got to her feet and ran toward the door. Edward caught her from behind at the same time as the bigger vampire halted her progress from the front. She let out a ferocious growl as Edward’s arms came around her waist.  
“I know, love, I know it smells irresistible. But you must, only for a few moments. It will be yours soon, I promise.”  
Bella calmed a bit at his touch, as his words touched her ear like a caress. “I want,” she grunted, still pushing against the big one, though her resistance was not as strong as it had been before.  
“I know you want it and it’s yours, baby. All yours. But you need to let me show you what to do. It’s a person, remember. Just like you were a few days ago. You don’t want to hurt the person, do you?”  
Bella was confused. She didn’t want to hurt anyone but she wanted to taste whatever it was that smelled so delicious to her. She would do anything to have it. Anything.  
Edward’s mind filled with more images of what she would do for her food and he cursed the need to deal with reality instead of just having at his mate.   
“Will you trust me, my Bella? Will you let me show you how to eat without hurting your prey? The man in the hallway is sick. He’s dying and he’s ready to go. He’s had enough pain to last a lifetime these past few months. Do you want to cause him more?”   
She only wanted a taste. She shook her head and tried to focus on Edward’s hypnotic voice in her ear. “He wants to be your first meal, love. He wants to feel your beautiful lips against his neck, to let his blood flow into your mouth, to give you his life. It is the ultimate gift. You want to cherish it, respect it, don’t you?”  
She wanted. She would do whatever he asked as long as she could have what he’d described. “Yes.”  
Edward nodded at his brothers and they shifted, Emmett taking her left arm and Jasper taking her right. She started to struggle but Edward moved in front of her, holding her stunning face in his hands. “Emmett and Jasper are going to hold onto you while I show you what to do, okay?” Bella ceased her struggling but kept her eyes on Edward, silently pleading with him to get on with it.  
“It’s better, the first few times, if I bite for you. Pay attention to what I do because it won’t be long before you’re ready to do it yourself.”  
Her eyes remained steady on Edward as he released her and stood in the doorway. Felix helped the elderly man step forward and Edward gently took his arm. He took a cursory glance at the man’s thoughts and found that he wasn’t scared. The word “finally” kept echoing in his mind. That was something Edward could more than relate to.  
“Thank you for honoring us with your gift,” Edward told him softly. The most rewarding thing about coming out to the humans, in Edward’s mind, was that they were legitimately able to help a person who had no hope of a future of anything but pain to pass to the other side. He hadn’t expected to care about that overly much when he’d concocted the idea but the first time he’d taken the life of a sick human, the way the woman had thanked him right before she’d succumbed had stuck with him and he always considered it a gift, just like he’d told Bella to do so.  
“Thank you,” the man whispered so softly that it was almost hard for Edward to hear. He helped the cancer ravaged man into the room and heard Bella’s struggles begin again.  
“His name is John,” he told Bella, ignoring her growls. “He’s seventy-seven years old and he’s in incredible pain. He wants to go see his wife, Mindy. He misses her.”  
The man, John, gasped softly as Bella stilled. “How?”  
Edward touched his shoulder lightly. “I just know. You’ll be with her soon. I cannot imagine living so long without the love of my life.” Edward gestured toward the beautiful vampire in his brothers grasps. “I’ve just found her and thankfully she’s chosen this life with me.”  
John turned pain-filled eyes Bella’s way. “You’re lucky. If I could have had Mindy…” he shook off as a terrible cough racked his skinny frame. Edward patted him on the back and watched as Bella blinked and seemed to focus on the man instead of the scent.  
“Forever,” he finished, gasping for air. “I would have loved it.”  
So sad. Edward nearly smiled as Bella’s thought hit him. The fact that she could focus on the story instead of the blood said a lot about her ability to control herself. He’d hoped to tap into her humanity, into that good heart that he already knew she had, and with just a few words about his wife, John had done so.  
“Now you can be with her again,” Edward told John, taking position behind him, keeping his eyes on his mate, who stood at alert but was not moving forward.  
“Now, please?” John asked. Edward nodded at his brothers and they tightened their hold on Bella as he bent toward John’s neck.  
“You don’t have to wait any longer.” He bit gently into the skin and felt that first pump of hot blood in his mouth before he pulled away. Bella’s eyes rolled back in her head and she let out a vicious snarl as the scent of blood hit the air. Emmett and Jasper brought her forward and her snarl turned almost into a cry.  
“Gentle, my love,” Edward reminded her as she got within inches of the rich blood. John’s eyes were closed and he prayed for it to end quickly.   
“Emmett and Jasper are going to hold you. Just place your lips where mine were and drink.” His brothers tightened their grip as finally Bella’s mouth reached John’s neck. The moan she let out at the first taste went straight to his cock but Edward kept his focus on his girl and the human whose heartbeat was slowing rapidly.  
Watching his mate drink was an incredibly arousing experience. A huge part of him resented the fact that his brothers had to be here. In a different time, in a different place, she could have just torn into some unsuspecting human with no finesse and then the two of them could have torn into one another with no prying eyes to see them mate. Alas, that was not an option now but it was still beautiful to watch her; the way her eyes closed, the way her muscles strained with the need to grip and drain. The sounds she made as her hunger was sated were akin to those she made when they made love. Edward wanted nothing more than to take her the instant she finished eating, but reality was not going to afford him that luxury.  
For her part, Bella was completely focused on the taste and feel of the blood coursing down her throat, cooling the burn that had plagued her since she’d woken up. She was fairly certain nothing had ever tasted this good when she was a human. Not steak, not ice cream and not even chocolate could compare. The heat of the warm, thick liquid was addicting. She wanted it beyond all else in that moment, even more than she wanted her Edward.  
He smiled as she had that errant thought but didn’t take offense. One day in the not too near future, that would not be the case. The bloodlust would always be there, but it would diminish and she would be as full of thoughts of him as he was of her. Already she had stunned him with her desire for him despite her hunger. Once that hunger passed…well, sadly they had to deal with the small matter of her police chief father before they could deal with the other hunger. It was most unfair. Edward already resented the man and they hadn’t even had words yet. Somehow, though, they’d get through the family drama and then they’d be blessedly alone again. He couldn’t wait.  
She’s doing really well. Edward met Jasper’s eyes and nodded. She’s fighting us less now than she was when she first smelled him, which is incredible.  
It was, indeed. Usually the first taste of blood sent a vampire into a frenzy but his Bella was showing some very good control. He suspected that what she knew about John was tempering her, keeping her from fighting them and possibly causing him more pain.  
Every vampire in the room heard the moment that John’s life ended. He let out a little sigh and the heartbeat faded after one last thump. Edward nodded and his brothers released their hold on Bella. She caught John’s body before it could slump to the floor and held him up as she took the final bit of blood that remained. Her grip on him was loose enough that she would not have caused pain had he still been alive. Edward felt such pride in his mate, in the humanity that still remained in her despite her change to vampirism.   
“Impressive, little sis!” Emmett exclaimed.   
Bella finished with the body and looked around, confused. Edward took John from her and a moment later Felix reappeared and carried the body from the room. Bella let out a little cry and buried her face against Edward’s chest. He held her and kissed the crown of her head.  
“It’s okay, love. You gave him what he wanted. You did so well. I couldn’t be prouder of you.”  
“Really?” she murmured, holding on to him tightly, but not so tight as to cause pain.   
“Yes. Do you know how hard it is for a newborn to show that kind of restraint? My brothers barely had to hold you back.”  
She tilted her face up to study him. “For a bit there, I didn’t care that he was a person. I just wanted to taste him.”  
Edward caressed her cheekbones lightly. “That’s completely normal, my beauty. But you didn’t let that get the better of you once you tasted him.”  
“I remembered his name and his wife’s name,” she whispered.   
“And that makes you extraordinary,” he told her before kissing her softly. She sighed into it and pressed her body against his. Edward started to steer her back toward the bed.  
“That you are!” Emmett’s yelling broke them out of the spell they’d fallen under the moment their lips touched again. Edward glared at him but Emmett shrugged.   
You have a visitor, remember? And he didn’t come alone.  
Edward damned Charlie Swan and whomever he’d brought with him to hell. What, did he think he was going to arrest him? Edward would like to see him try. Still, they had to deal with it.  
“Bella, these are my brothers. The big, loud one is Emmett and the one with the scarecrow hair is Jasper.”  
“I resemble that remark!” Emmett bounded forward and scooped Bella up in a hug. “It’s good to finally meet you. Edward wouldn’t let us come in while you were changing.”  
Bella felt a bit like she’d been crushed in an anvil but she hugged him back. “Well, I’m glad to meet you.”  
“We already met, but it’s wonderful to see you come out on the other side,” Jasper told her with her a smile.   
“I missed all the good stuff while I was, well, getting the good stuff,” Emmett announced with a grin. “Your friends say hi, by the way.”  
“My friends…” Bella shook her head. “Somehow I bet they had more to say than hi.”  
“Well, yeah, but with your dad on the scene…” Emmett broke off at the thunderous look on Edward’s face. “Whoops. Will you look at the time? We must be going.”   
Before she could even blink, Emmett was out of the room. Jasper followed at a more sedate pace. “Forgive the boob. His mouth moves faster than his brain, which for a vampire is a feat all on its own.”  
Bella couldn’t even focus on the apologies as the word “Dad” echoed in her brain. Edward picked her up and sat on the bed with her in his arms.  
“It’ll be okay, baby. We’ll handle it, together. We can do anything together. Look at what you just did. Dealing with an angry father will be a piece of cake after what you just went through.”  
She held onto Edward, breathing in his warm, musky scent, trying to calm herself. Her father was here and she’d just killed a man. He’d hate her and maybe he’d arrest her, take her away from Edward.  
“He can’t take you away, beauty. I won’t let him. And you’ve done nothing wrong. John signed a contract as well. I promise, nothing is going to happen to you.”  
She’d thought she’d have time before her father found out. Why she’d thought that, she couldn’t say. Between Jess and Lauren’s big mouths and her father’s overbearing hovering, there was no way her absence for several days would have gone unnoticed. Why hadn’t she called him first, made up some lie about going camping and being out of cell range for a week?  
Edward kissed her temple and she sighed. Oh yeah, that was why. Because Edward had driven all common sense out of her head and all she’d cared about was her need to be with him. Even now, knowing her father was lurking out there somewhere ready to haul her away from Edward, she still wanted him and him only.  
“This is going to be awful.”  
Edward shifted so that he could look into her beautiful red eyes. “Maybe, but there’s nothing he can do to part us, Bella. You’re mine now and he’s going to have to deal with that. I won’t let him hurt you.” And if he tries, I’ll kill him, father or not.  
She heard the promise and even the threat in those words and both comforted her. “He’s here, now?”  
“Yes. Emmett and Jasper have him waiting in my office.”  
Bella nodded and stood, holding a hand out to Edward that he took immediately. “Well, I guess we better go deal with it, huh? Get all the hard stuff done at once.”  
Edward was astounded by her. His mate was the strongest woman he’d ever seen. “You’re amazing.” He pulled her close and kissed her hard, a kiss that would have left her breathless if she remained human.  
“What was that for?” she asked, smiling up at him.  
“I am astonished at how well you’re taking to this life, how willing you are to face the hard things being thrown at you so quickly, quicker than I anticipated.” Since she was fully sated, he knew she’d be able to face her father physically, but he hadn’t been sure about her mentality. Now he was.  
Bella ran a finger along his jaw. “You made a promise to me before you changed me, Edward Cullen. Do you remember it?”  
He remembered everything he’d ever said to her but wasn’t sure which of his many promises she was referring to. “Which one?”  
That made her laugh. “You promised that when I awoke, you’d feed me, which you’ve done.” Edward nodded and his smile turned feral as he remembered the rest. “And you promised that you’d make love to me again. I want that, very much.”  
“I want that more than you can possibly know.” Her thoughts on the matter tangled with his own and left him a horny mess. Which reminded him. “There’s something I need to tell you.”  
Bella raised an eyebrow. “More onto the hard pile?”  
He shrugged, unsure of how she was going to react. “I don’t know. I hope it won’t upset you but it might.”  
“Edward, what is it?” Impatience shimmered in her tone and he wanted to laugh. She just wanted to get on with it and then get on him, which he loved.  
“I can read minds.” At her blank stare, Edward tried to smile. “I just thought you should know before we go meet your father so that if I react to something you can’t hear…” he trailed off as she still said nothing. “Bella?”  
“Is that how you always know what to say to make me feel better? You can hear what I’m thinking?”  
Edward shrugged again. “Yes and no. I have an instinct where it comes to you, without your thoughts, that comes from us being mates. I just know what you need. But also, yes, I can hear it.”  
“So when we first met and I was thinking…damn.” She hid her face in her hands and Edward pulled them away.  
“Please don’t hide from me. I’ve loved every thought you’ve had about me, about us. They’ve been perfectly on par with mine. Bella, please don’t be upset.”  
“You should have told me.”  
“I know, but to be fair, we’ve only had a little time together and I didn’t want to scare you away. You’d have been so embarrassed if I’d told you when you were human.”  
Bella shook her head. “And I’m not, now?” She held up a hand when he reached for her. “I’m not angry. I think I understand why you did it, but right now we need to deal with the bigger issue of my father. We’ll talk about this mind reading thing when we have time. Can’t you turn it off when it comes to me?”  
Edward laughed at the scowl on her face. “Even if I could, yours are the only thoughts I actually want to hear.”  
“I bet.” She sighed when he bent to kiss her and she melted into him. “You suck.”  
“I can.” He sucked on a spot just behind her ear that had her eyes crossing. “Think about the advantages, Bella. You’ve only to think of what you want me to do to you and I’ll do it, no questions asked.”  
“Hmm,” she murmured as his lips trailed down her neck. “I suppose there are some advantages.”  
“I’ll be happy to show you all of them later.”  
“I’ll hold you to that.” She kissed him again. “Let’s go meet my dad.”  
That was the first time Edward had ever had those words said to him and they left him feeling nervous, a feeling he didn’t often have, until Bella came along. “Let’s do it.” God help him.


	4. Chapter 4

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 4

Bella Swan studied herself in the mirror. What should have been as familiar as breathing was now completely foreign, but then again, she didn't have to breathe anymore either. She was wearing her own T-shirt now-her favorite Forks Police Department gray shirt-and a pair of blue jeans. She hoped that if she looked enough like herself, her father wouldn't freak out. She knew it was a fruitless hope, though.

"You look stunning."

Bella laughed and lifted her eyes away from her own face, meeting a pair of admiring red ones over her shoulder. "I think my line is, 'in this old thing?'"

Edward kissed her cheek as he slipped his arms around her from behind. Taking a cue from Bella, he'd dressed in jeans and a T-shirt as well, opting to wear all black. He'd thought about wearing one of his finest Armani suits, but his girl's father was a simple small-town man, and he was going to try not to intimidate him…until he had to.

"You're stunning in anything and even more stunning in nothing at all…" he trailed off as he brushed his fingers lightly over her breast. "So I think we should hurry up and get this meeting over with so I can get you out of that old thing."

She didn't know what magic it was, but his words along with his touch calmed her. She was truly terrified about her father's reaction to her change, but, realistically, she knew there was nothing he could do about it. What was done was done. And she had every faith that Edward would handle it if things got out of hand. She didn't even question her confidence in that fact.

"Yes, my beauty, I will keep the peace." Even if I have to kill the man. She turned in his arms, and he hugged her gently. "It'll be okay."

"Can I really see him? Won't I try to eat him?"

Edward laughed and loosened his hold on her. "Do you feel the burn any longer?"

Bella focused within herself and shook her head when she couldn't find that hunger.

"You're fully sated and will be for a few days or so. After you've aged a bit, you can go a week without being hungry. But if you should start to feel hungry, or stressed and worry that you might lose control, you've only to think it and I'll get you away from him, okay?"

Bella nodded slowly. "I don't want to hurt my father."

He touched her cheek lightly. "I won't let you." He'd never allow her to do anything that might cause her lasting pain.

"I don't want you to hurt him either."

Edward smiled at the way she looked at him, as if she were the mind-reader of the pair. "And what makes you think I would hurt him?"

"You'd do anything for me." She knew that with every fiber of her being, even without his assenting nod. "And if anybody upset me, hurt me, you'd hurt them right back."

That was true. Edward had no illusions that this meeting with Bella's father was going to be all sunshine and roses, but he wanted her father to at least be civil and accept her choice. If he didn't and if he said anything awful to her, he was prepared to end him. Nothing and nobody was ever going to hurt his mate.

"No matter what he says, or what he does, he's still my father and I love him. Please don't kill him."

Edward was helpless to do anything but give her his word. "I won't kill him, even if he upsets you." There were other ways to deal with him after all.

"And you won't have anyone else kill him," Bella said, interrupting Edward's silent scheming and stopping his alternate plans in their tracks.

"Why would you think I would do something like that?" he asked, trying to appear innocent.

She smiled. "You're the boss around here, remember? You say jump, they say how high. I may not be able to read your mind, but I do know you, Edward."

She humbled him and astounded him at the same time. Never had anybody been able to read him so easily, so effortlessly, before. Even his mind-reading creator slash father.

"Fine. I won't have him killed, but I won't listen to him yell at you, either. If he tries, he's getting thrown out on his ass." And it would be a pleasure to be the one doing the throwing.

"Dads yell, Edward, especially when they're disappointed in their children. Don't you remember what it was like to have a father? You didn't want to kill him when he yelled at you, did you?"

Edward's lips curved in a deadly smile. "I very much want to kill my father, Bella." She jerked in surprise, and he stilled her. "My vampire father, my creator. My real father…" He sought to bring back the fuzzy memories. He remembered a blond-haired, blue-eyed man with a kind smile. "He didn't yell much as I recall, but I was very young when I was taken from him." He stroked her cheek. "I never wanted him dead either. I promise that I won't kill your father or have him killed."

Her mind was whirling with confusion. Edward wanted to kill the vampire who'd made him? Who? Why?

"Later," Edward told her. "I'll tell you all of it later. We have to deal with your father before we even think about mine, okay?"

He had a point. Bella tried to focus, though her heart was aching for her mate, for the loss of his real family and wonder over what had happened to him, how he'd come to be the vampire that stood with her today.

"Soon," he promised, kissing her lightly before releasing her and lacing his fingers with hers. "Let's go see your father."

She moved with him silently down the hallway, marveling at how light she felt on her feet. She almost felt as if they were gliding on a moving walkway, rather than walking themselves.

"I can't wait to take you out and let you experience the world with your new eyes." He stopped before the door that led to his private office. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Edward squeezed her hand and opened the door. He'd been listening as they'd moved down the hallway and hadn't caught many thoughts from the human, other than wondering where Bella was and what was taking so long. He wasn't sure what he'd expected. Maybe, due to Bella's worries over his reaction, he'd made the man into more of a monster than he could ever be. Charlie Swan was an average-sized man, standing at 5'11", and like his daughter, he had pale light skin and brown eyes and hair, though that was the only resemblance. It was the other man in the room that caught Edward's eye and had him tensing for a fight.

The boy, that awful boy from his Bella's memories, was in the room, his back to them, but Edward recognized the black hair flowing over his shoulders and the tanned skin and taut muscles. Hate filled him, and only the fact that Bella was there, holding his hand, kept him from snapping the man's neck before he even turned and laid eyes on her again.

"Bella, what did you do?"

Edward focused back on Charlie Swan, who'd surged to his feet and was staring at her, open mouthed.

"No, no." He gripped at his chest and stumbled. Emmett moved to steady him.

The other man, Jacob, turned and took them in before glaring and taking a step toward them. "Bella! How could you do this to Charlie, to us?"

A low growl came from Edward's throat at the mention of "us" and Jasper, being the good brother and soldier that he was, stepped between them before his brother did anything he might later regret, though he doubted that he would regret it if he killed the man.

"Dad…I…I had to." The part of her that still recognized her humanity wanted to go to her father; to comfort him. The part of her that was no longer human, the stronger part of her, had her staying where she was and holding on to her mate. She wanted to touch him, always, but she also knew she needed to keep him calm. She should have known that Jacob was going to be with her father, of course, he'd come along when she couldn't be located. He'd have felt obliged to. She should have thought of it and she should have warned Edward, or met him without Edward.

At that errant thought, her mate turned and glared at her.

She sighed and shrugged. It's not like I want to be alone with him, Edward, I just don't want you to have to deal with him. Jake's not the nicest guy.

Edward smirked at that and nearly made her laugh.

Yes, I have no doubt that you aren't either, but I'd rather this not turn into a bloodbath, okay?

Edward just jerked his shoulder. He was going to let his mate take the lead, for now. He'd made a promise not to kill her father, and he intended to keep it, but he'd made no such promise when it came to the brute that had the audacity to have touched her, to even now be staring at her with a combination of anger and lust that made Edward want to rip out his heart and shove it down his throat.

"You had to? He made you? I'll kill him myself!" Jacob attempted to get past Jasper, who merely shot out a hand and held him in place.

"Mind your tone and your actions, son," Jasper warned him. "You don't know who you're dealing with."

"Vampire scum who force themselves on innocent girls and confuse them and take advantage of them. That's what I'm dealing with," Jacob snarled.

Edward, who was busy calculating the varied and interesting ways to kill the angry young man in front of him, just smiled as he imagined dismembering him, starting with his dick and then moving on to his fingers and toes. It would be very painful, and it made his day to imagine the giant of a boy screaming and crying and begging for his life.

"Nobody made me do anything, Jake. Stop making a fool of yourself. You couldn't move him if you tried. I don't know why you're here, but I'm not here to talk to you."

Edward dragged himself out of thoughts of Jacob's torture to admire the beauty of the girl next to him. She wasn't cowering in fear. Instead, she was standing tall at her mate's side, glaring at the boy she'd made the mistake of giving herself to long ago.

"Daddy, I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I should have called you and told you so that you wouldn't worry."

Her father laughed harshly. "Wouldn't worry about you becoming one of them?" He spat the word in disgust. "That wouldn't have happened, Isabella."

She nodded. "You're right, and I knew that. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd be upset. I'm sorry that you are, but I hope that you'll accept my choice and respect it."

"Respect?" Charlie Swan pushed away from the desk and shrugged off Emmett's light hold when Edward nodded at his brother that it was okay to let him go. "What do you know about respect? Did you respect my wishes when you came to this godforsaken vampire city? Did you respect my wishes when I asked you to stay in Forks, with me and Jacob, to make a good life for yourself away from these evil beings? Did you respect my wishes when you let him bite you and do God knows what else to you, Isabella?"

Bella gasped as his words were more effective than a slap. It upset her that her first reaction to her father's angry words was to want to bury herself under the covers and cry herself to sleep. But she could do neither of those things anymore, and she wasn't sorry about it.

Before she could speak, Edward addressed her father, though he kept his gaze on Jake as he spoke. "Your wishes? What about her wishes? Whose life is she supposed to lead? Hers, or yours? Bella has made her choice. You don't have to like it, but you do have to respect it, just like she respects you."

"I don't know who you think you are, but Bella is my daughter, and I know what's best for her."

Edward met his eyes then, and Charlie took an involuntary step back at the anger, the heat, and the power that he saw there.

"I am Edward Cullen. I'm your daughter's mate. I am what is best for her as she is for me. You will be respectful to her in my presence, or you won't like the consequences. Are we clear?"

His tone left no room for argument, and Charlie nodded mutely.

Bella, sensing that the crisis had past, stepped toward her father. "I do respect your feelings, Dad, but I had to go with mine. Edward is my mate. Do you know what that means?"

Charlie Swan said nothing, his thoughts whirling. Not again. This can't be happening again.

"It means we were meant to be together. There is nobody else for either one of us. I have to be with him, or I'll never be truly happy, truly right. Don't you want me to be with the one I was meant to be with, the one person that will make me whole?"

"Person? Don't you mean vampire?" Jacob spoke up again, seething with rage. "I made you happy. I could make you happy again, Bella. Even now, I would…"

"Silence!" Edward shouted, his face thunderous. "Don't you even think about it," he warned the young man, who didn't know that his thoughts were as clear as his words for Edward.

Jacob couldn't get over how much more beautiful Bella had become and even though vampires disgusted him, she was still Bella and he still wanted her. In fact, now that she was unbreakable, his mind started to wander to just how hard he could fuck her and, that had been Edward's breaking point.

"What? Are you afraid she won't choose you? I know what Bella needs, and I can give it to her."

"If you think about her like that again, your brains are going to be splattered all over my office walls," Edward said in a soft, deadly voice.

Bella released his hand and slipped both arms around his waist. He's not worth it.

Perhaps not, but Edward didn't care. The boy had signed his death warrant when he'd imagined touching Edward's mate. He might not die today, but he would die soon. Painfully.

"Jacob, perhaps you didn't hear me when I said that Edward's my mate, so let me say it again. I love him. I want to be with him and him only. So much that I had him turn me into a vampire so that we can be together forever. I left you, remember? Edward is the man I want to be with."

"But Bella, I love you." Edward growled, and Jacob pointed at him. "There! You see! He's a monster! He growls! How could you want him?"

Bella let out a low growl of her own, making Jacob step back. "I do it, too, so I guess I'm a monster as well and you couldn't possibly want me now. Problem solved."

Jacob was confused. On the one hand, she was still very similar to the girl that he loved. She looked the same, only better, which wasn't something he could complain about. But gone seemed to be the docile girl that had usually gone along with his wants and desires. He missed that, but found this new, stronger Bella to be sexy, which he'd never seen in her before.

Edward kept himself from killing the man by imagining him strung up before him, screaming as he tore strips of skin from his body, piece by tiny piece.

"Bella, I can overlook what you are so long as you leave here and come home with us. Charlie and I can take care of you, and we'll find some way to get you back to normal-"

"I don't want normal, Jacob. I want more. Edward is my more, and he's willing to give me the world, not hide me away from it like you both wanted to."

"We only wanted to protect you."

"I don't need protecting."

No, she didn't, and Edward continued to be moved by how incredible his mate was. She was calm, controlled, and logical, whereas every man in the room was riding high on emotions. Jasper and Emmett were poised to protect Edward at any moment ,while Jacob and Edward wanted to kill each other, and Charlie was just lost in pain, anger, and sadness.

"But, clearly you do because-"

"Because I didn't do what you wanted. I'm not sorry about that. I am sorry that you came all the way here and that you're upset, but I told you long ago that we were over, and you should have accepted it then."

She turned away from Jacob and focused on her father. "Dad, I hope in time that you can understand the decision I've made and see that it's right for me. I very much want you to be part of my life, to get to know Edward and his family-"

"What do vampires know about family?" Charlie demanded, his face purpling in his anger. "All they know is how to destroy them, how to tear them apart and ruin everything!"

"Dad, that's uncalled for, isn't it?" Bella was embarrassed by her father's outburst. She'd known he'd be upset, but to accuse Edward of tearing them apart was a bit ridiculous in her book. "We can still be together, I can visit, and, well, you could come here, but I know how you feel about that, so we'll come to you. It's no different than if I were to move away after college. We'll still see each other, if you want to. We're still family."

"We haven't been a family since your mother abandoned us for…" Charlie shook his head. "You know what? It doesn't matter. You're an abomination. I have no daughter." As she gaped at her father in shock, he gestured to Jacob. "Let's get out of here."

"Charlie? Without her? I don't think-"

"She's dead, Jacob. We're going home."

Bella let out a sob and tried to step toward her father, but he walked out the door without a second glance.

Jacob looked at her sadly. "I'll try to talk to him," he murmured before following him out the door.

Edward jerked his shoulder at his brothers as he drew Bella into his arms and let her cry tearlessly against his shoulder.

"How could he hate me that much? I thought after he got past his anger that he'd accept it. How dumb was I?"

Edward rubbed her back and kissed her temple. "It's not you that he hates, Bella." It was so much more than that. Edward had caught it in Charlie's final thought before he'd torn into his daughter. "It's me, my kind, and it has nothing to do with you."

She looked up, confused. "How can you say that? He just called me an abomination and said I'm dead to him! That has everything to do with me."

"No, it started well before you. What do you know about your mother, Bella?" He had no idea how much she knew and how much he should cushion the blow. He hoped telling her would make her see that Charlie's anger was more with the past than with her in the present.

Bella looked confused. "She left nine years ago."

"Why? What did your father do when she left? What did he tell you?"

"What does it matter?" When Edward just looked at her, she sighed. "He took off to find her, left me with Jake's father. He came back about a week later and said that she'd found a new life and wanted nothing to do with us." She looked impossibly sad. "Is that what he thinks I'm doing now? I told him I would still come see him! How is that the same thing?"

Edward cupped her cheek in his hand. "It's not the same thing, but in his mind, it is." He took a deep breath to steady himself before he laid it on her. "Bella, your mother left you for a vampire. She found her mate and she went with him, just as you have with me. That's why Charlie hates us so much and why he's so angry with you. Your mom became a vampire."


	5. Chapter 5

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 5

Bella's mind was whirling almost faster than Edward could make out. He saw flashes of a beautiful woman with light brown hair and blue eyes, smiling, with a young Bella and younger, happier-looking Charlie Swan. He saw her reading his Bella a bedtime story, stroking her hair and answering her myriad of questions about the book patiently. He saw a devastated, drained-looking Charlie returning after his search for Renee, telling Bella that the woman had found a new life without them, that she didn't love them anymore. He felt his mate's pain in that memory as vividly as if had been his own. Perhaps it was worse for him because it was her pain. He wasn't sure.

Shopping trips, visits to the park, long drives in the car…his Bella took him through all her memories of her time with her mother. She sang to her little girl as she cleaned up a skinned knee and put a bandage on it. She held her when she woke up from a nightmare and wiped away her tears. No matter what Charlie Swan had told his daughter, her mother had loved her. That was clear as day in the girl's memories.

After a time, the memories stopped, and his Bella lay still in his arms. He stroked her hair patiently, waiting for her to say in words what she'd already told him with her mind.

"I thought she left because she didn't love me."

As if it was possible not to love his Bella. Edward chafed at the very idea.

"That was a particularly cruel lie your father told you." His hatred for Charlie Swan had grown by leaps and bounds with every memory.

"Was it, though?" Bella pulled back, and her sad red eyes met his angry ones. "If she really loved me, how could she have left me like that? Without a word of explanation. Making me think that…"

"Think that she didn't love you, because your father told you so." Edward shook his head. "I can't speak to her actions, Bella, as I've never met her and only know what you remember and the bit that your father showed me, but I can say from the memories you have, without a doubt, that your mother loved you." He stroked her cheek. "How could she not?"

His words brought a quick smile to her face. "You're a little biased, but thank you for saying that."

"I am," he admitted, sliding his hands over her shoulders and down her arms to link fingers with her, hoping that his touch would ground her as hers did him. "But I saw your memories, remember. She loved you."

"Not enough to stay," she said softly.

"No." Edward tugged her closer so that their bodies were touching. He didn't know how to defend her mother's actions, as he wasn't sure there was a defense for them, but he also understood them in a way that she might not.

"How could she leave me? I get her falling out of love with my father." Bella's voice tightened. "It happens every day. But to leave me without a word? To never send me a birthday card or call me? I don't understand."

"Could you have walked away from me, Bella?"

She flinched at the question, at the thought of doing something that every fiber of her being would rebel against. "No, of course not! How could you ask me that?"

"I'm sorry, my love." He released her hands and slipped his arms around her waist. "You're thinking like a human, and I'm just trying to remind you that your mother found her mate. Her other half. The vampire that made her feel the way that I make you feel. Could you have walked away from that to return to your old family, your old life?"

Just the thought of it made Bella want to die. Not die like she had just done, to be reborn, but die forever, because not being with Edward wasn't a world she could even contemplate.

"No. Never."

He soothed her with a light caress on her back.

"But I don't have a child, either."

It was a very valid point and one Edward had been contemplating since he'd realized what had become of her mother.

"I don't know what the bond between a mother and child is like. It's been much longer than I care to think about since I've had that." Caramel-colored curls and warm green eyes flashed in his memory. "I know, from reading others, that it's a very powerful kind of love, just as ours is." Bella rested her head against his shoulder, seeming to take comfort in his words. "I just don't know which is more powerful."

"Since she walked away, I guess it's the mating bond."

Edward shook his head. "We can't know that. Maybe she stayed away to keep you safe. This happened prior to our induction into society. Less was known then, and as a new vampire, she was entirely reliant upon her mate to give her information. Your father could have threatened exposure if she approached you." Edward wouldn't put that past Charlie Swan for a minute. "In some rare cases, vampires have completely forgotten their human lives after they turn. There are any number of explanations that don't involve her not loving you enough."

It interested Edward. He'd never heard of a human with a family finding his or her mate and leaving that family behind. He imagined it must have happened before, but it was likely very rare. The mating bond was known to be the most powerful force in their society, but could a parent's love equal or even eclipse it?

"Okay, but even if she stayed away then to keep me safe, or to keep my dad from outing the vampires, why hasn't she contacted me since? He can't cause trouble for vampires now."

Edward didn't have an answer to that question that wouldn't upset her. "I don't know, Bella." He hesitated before voicing his thoughts. "Do you want me to find her?"

Her head whipped up from his chest. "You can do that?"

Edward shrugged. "Probably. We don't have a huge registry of vampires or anything, but we do have ways of finding one another. One of my brothers, Demetri, is very skilled at finding individuals." It would require a few questions to Charlie Swan and an old item belonging to her, but Edward had no doubt that Demetri could locate her if that's what Bella wanted.

"She left me. I don't know if I want to find her."

Edward understood her reticence. "There's no rush, my beauty. If you decide you want to locate her, I'll get it done. If you don't, we'll leave it alone." He cupped her chin in his hand. "I love you." He smiled as the tension seemed to visibly seep out of her at his words. "I will never leave you, and I will always do whatever I can to make you happy."

"Even if it means finding my runaway vampire mother who's God knows where on this earth?" she asked, smiling a little.

"Even then," he vowed. "There is nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"Is that so?" Her lips twitched as she tugged lightly on the collar of his shirt.

"That is very much so," he said, smiling at where her thoughts had gone. Bless his sweet mate and her delightfully dirty mind.

"Will you make me forget?" she asked, touching his neck lightly.

"How?" he asked, although he already had his answer.

"Touch me." She took his face between her hands. "Make it so that all I can feel, all I can think about, is you." She wanted to get lost in him, forget about both her parents, humans versus vampires, mating bonds versus a mother's love, all of it. None of it mattered when she could just be with him.

"Here?" He reached down to the button on her jeans. "Now?"

"Right here," she demanded, her grip tightening on his shirt. "Right now." And without another word, she yanked, and his shirt tore right off his body, making her laugh through the sudden voracious need for him. "Oops."

Edward chuckled, enjoying the look of surprise, embarrassment ,and desire on his mate's face. "Don't ever feel bad for wanting me so much that you have to rip my clothes off to have at me, love."

He growled lightly when her hands began to touch the contours of his chest. He flipped open the button of her jeans and lowered her zipper. "Hard and fast, then?" he asked as her hands stroked down his abdomen, heading toward his pants.

"I don't believe I ever said, or thought, anything about fast," she murmured, delighting him all the more as she made quick work of his pants.

"Fast speed, not fast time," he clarified, grunting as her hand gripped his hard length.

"Yeah, that'll work," she told him as she squeezed him just hard enough to border on pain without actually hurting him.

"Well, then." Before she could blink, he had her flat on his desk. "This has to go." And her favorite Forks T-shirt, the one that she'd clearly gotten from her father, came off with one swift tug. Bella reached up, took it from him, and tossed it over her shoulder, where it landed on a floor lamp across the room.

"Fuck him," she muttered.

Edward wasn't going to allow her to be distracted. She'd made a request, and he intended to fulfill it. He took his vows very seriously.

"He's not my type." At Bella's startled laugh, he grinned down at her. "That's more like it."

The rest of her clothes were discarded with practiced speed. She lay naked, open and ready on his antique cherry desk. It was a priceless treasure from the Regency period, but the only thing priceless to Edward in that moment was his lovely mate.

"You're exquisite," he told her, drinking her in with his eyes. How had he survived an entire century without her? As far as he was concerned, everything before she came into his life was irrelevant. She was his everything.

"Edward, please. Touch me."

He was helpless to do anything but honor her request. His hands molded to her breasts as his lips brushed lightly over hers. She sighed against his mouth and made him smile as she arched into his hands.

"I want to explore every inch of your body for hours, days…forever," he murmured, making her moan and ache for him to do just that. "And I will," he promised before nipping at the skin along her jaw. "Later." And he entered her hard and fast, just like he'd promised, making her cry out his name as she immediately clenched around him.

"Hold on, beautiful," he ordered, holding himself still, even though he wanted to mount her like a prize stallion. Her hands gripped each side of the desk as he lifted her hips, sliding even deeper inside her.

They both moaned, and their eyes met. Neither needed to be a mind reader to see the love, to feel the connection in that moment. They held for one beat, for two, before she gripped him with her thighs and gave him the prodding he needed. His hips pistoned as he took her, hard and fast, just as he'd promised. Every cry, every moan from her lips spurred him on, as did her thoughts. Her hands gripped the desk, and it was little surprise when her makeshift handles disintegrated to dust between her fingers.

Neither of them noticed the destruction of the treasure. She just reached up and wrapped herself tightly around him. He drove her hard into the desk, the wood creaking and giving after one particularly deep thrust. They crashed to the ground and kept on kissing and moving, not caring if the walls were to tumble around them. All that mattered in that moment was the pleasure they felt in one another. He succeeded in driving the thoughts of her family from her mind, and she did the same for him. The hate he always carried in his heart toward his maker, the plotting, the planning, the hunger that was never sated, all of it fell away as he lost himself in her.

They didn't notice when the music started in the club, nor when Emmett and Jasper went past with their chosen companions for the night, nor when the music ended and the club went silent again. Neither could tell how many times they'd come, because they were too lost in the pleasure to bother noticing. It just felt like one steady wave of pure energy that pulsed and shocked over and over again. Her on top, him on top, facing away from one another, on their sides; the positions changed, but the movement never did. Hard and fast, just like she wanted.

When they finally came down, after one last cry of his name from her lips, after one more moan from him, they collapsed in each other's arms. He caressed her back, and she nuzzled his neck.

"Thank you," she said softly after a time.

Edward chucked softly. "You never have to thank me for that. It was my pleasure as well."

I wish we could just stay like this forever.

Edward smiled at her thought. His mind filled with an image of the two of them in a remote cabin somewhere in Canada, or on a beach on a deserted island. No family, no club, no phones-nothing but the two of them.

"God, I love the thought of that," she murmured, stretching her arms above her head.

Edward watched in appreciation as her perky breasts bounced with her movement. It took him a minute to process what she'd said.

"What did you say?"

Bella's brow creased at the sudden sharpness of his tone. "I said that I loved the thought of that, though I think I'd prefer the beach to the cold in Canada." Then she laughed. "I guess that doesn't really matter now, though, does it? I don't get cold like a human does."

Edward sat up, with Bella now straddling his lap. "Bella, I didn't say that out loud."

"But you must have. How else could I have…" Her voice trailed off as it hit her. "Can I read minds, too?"

Edward was baffled. "Only one way to find out." He looked into her eyes and stroked her cheek softly, making her think that he was going to think something sweet and lovely. He wanted to give her the opposite of that to throw her off.

I promised not to kill your father, and I won't, but would you be completely pissed off if I killed Jacob? He really has to die for those things he thought about you.

Bella gasped and clapped her hands. "I heard it! I mean, you! Why is that?"

Edward had mixed feelings about her being able to hear his thoughts. On the one hand, it would be easy to have conversations with her that nobody else would be privy to, and of course, just like he'd told her, she'd be able to know everything he wanted and give it to him right there. But the hypocritical side of him felt like he was on display and he'd never have any thoughts to himself.

Bella poked him in the chest. "You don't get to protest that, after years of knowing everything everyone else was thinking."

He laughed and grabbed her hand before she could jab him again. "Okay, that's true. It just feels weird."

She huffed. "Yes, it does."

It occurred to Edward that they now had something no other vampire couple had ever had, though. Some had special gifts, but never had they shared the same one as far as he knew. His maker was able to read minds, only through touch, and Edward had amplified that to the point that he heard all the thoughts around him. Could Bella hear even more? He wondered at her.

"I hear you, and I think Emmett…ugh." She wrinkled her nose in disgust and made Edward laugh heartily.

"Yeah, you don't want to spend too much time in that head."

"Could that possibly feel good…wait! I don't want to know."

Edward grinned wolfishly. "I'd be happy to show you…" He broke off when she smacked his chest. "I'll have to teach you how to tune it out."

"Thank you." She tilted her head and studied him.

"What?" he asked, feeling like she was boring into his mind with her gaze. It was a very unpleasant situation.

"Do you think I should look for my mother?"

He was rather taken aback by the question, but he knew why she'd asked it. His thoughts would give her the answer, even if his mouth didn't want to.

Yes. At her nod, he verbalized for her. "I think you have questions that need answering. The only way to get those answers is to find her, unless you want another go at your father." Her eye roll gave him his answer there. "I didn't think so. Is there anybody he might have told that might know more of the story than the little bit we got?"

Bella nodded slowly. "Yeah, but you're not going to like it."

Edward cringed at her mental image of an older version of Jacob. "Damn it."

Bella laughed. "Sorry. He's my dad's best friend. If anybody will know…"

"Fine. But I'm still going to kill his son." Edward waited, but got no response, and Bella's mind was blank. "Is that okay?"

"It feels weird to say yes," she responded, making him laugh.

"Do you want to say no?" He would honor her wish, even if it would kill him.

Bella could see how important it was to him, and it didn't bother her as much as it should, which bothered her instead. "I don't know. Can we table it for now? Don't we have enough on our plates?"

Finding her mother, killing his father, possible world domination…yes, he supposed so. "Okay."

Bella shook her head at his thoughts. "We have a couple other things on the list."

"We do?" he asked, smiling as she glanced about the room.

"Well, we kind of destroyed your office."

It was true. The desk was completely trashed, and one of his bookshelves had toppled, taking a lamp with it. The computer had been thrown on the floor when he put her on the desk in the first place. It looked like a bomb had gone off in the room.

"I'll get someone to clean it up." Edward didn't bother himself with domestic tasks.

"No, we'll clean it up. After."

He started to sulk, but when he heard the after and saw the direction her thoughts had taken, he didn't care anymore. "After, huh?"

She shifted and took him inside her again. "Yes, after."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, sorry for the delay! This story is now completely written. I'm posting 2 chapters tonight and then will post daily until it's done, 19 total chapters, so it'll be done within two weeks. Thanks for your patience!

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Edward Cullen glanced at his mate as he navigated his Explorer through the deserted forest roads. He’d wanted to take his Bella home in true style, in his Vanquish, but upon discovering that the trip to La Push would be wet and muddy, he’d opted for substance over style.  
“No,” she admitted, knowing that he’d been listening to her thoughts on the matter the whole drive over. They’d been silent most of the trip, choosing to communicate in their new non-verbal ways that drove Edward’s brothers to distraction at home. Jealous over the mates’ ability to communicate with one another without saying a word, the boys’ only retaliation was to think vile thoughts that forced the pair to verbalize their displeasure.  
“Your father doesn’t know we’re coming, correct?”  
Bella shook her head, the movement sending her sweet scent swirling in the car around them. Edward took a deep breath of it, finding just the smell of her enough to help with the tension that had crept into him every mile they got closer to their destination. His mate smiled and slipped her hand into his, running her thumb lightly over his skin.  
“Billy swore he wouldn’t tell him.” She paused and studied Edward’s handsome profile. “Or Jacob.”  
And there, that was the true cause of his tension. She felt his hand flex in hers at the mention of that name. Edward didn’t fear Jacob, but he did fear losing control if he was confronted with the boy’s sexual thoughts of Bella again. Not killing him had been the most difficult test of Edward’s rather long life thus far and he was quite sure he would have failed said test had his brothers and Charlie Swan not been in the room.  
“You can’t kill him.”   
Edward jerked in surprise at the fear he heard in Bella’s voice.   
“I can’t lose you, Edward. Nothing is worth that.”  
Before he registered the thought, Edward had the car pulled over and his mate in his arms. “You won’t lose me, my beauty. Never. Why would you think that?”  
She was shaking, fear overcoming her, despite his reassuring words. “I’ve lost everyone. I can’t lose you. You’re all I have left. All I want. Please.”  
He heard the unspoken plea, and his lips met hers as his hands rubbed the tension in her shoulders.   
My love, you could never lose me. I’m with you for eternity. Nothing could ever separate us.  
His lips, hands, and thoughts soothed her somewhat, and she pulled back, resting her forehead against his. “But if you lost control…”  
Edward chuckled and stroked her cheek. “Bella, you’re still thinking like a human.”  
That made her scowl and sit back. “Vampires have rules too, Edward- very well-defined ones that say-”  
“That if we were to kill a human, a healthy human with no desire to die, that we forfeit our lives,” Edward finished, smirking at his mate and admiring how she got even sexier when she was angry at him.  
That thought had her huffing and crossing her arms over her chest. “Well? Why shouldn’t I be worried, then? If you kill Jacob, they’ll kill you.” And I’ll die, too, because I’m not going to live without you.  
Edward’s amusement fled at her final thought, and he understood why his mate was so upset, even though her fears were misplaced.  
“You won’t ever face that possibility,” he vowed, taking her face in his hands, his eyes boring into hers. “I swear it to you.”  
Her hands came up to grip his arms. “Then why-”  
Edward shook his head. “The rules, Bella, they’re a joke. We put them in place to make humans feel more secure, but come on… How many vampires do you think we’ve actually killed for making an unsanctioned kill?”  
Bella looked baffled. “How would I know?”  
Edward smiled. “You wouldn’t. Nor would any other human. We’ve made a show of killing a couple of vampires for breaking the rules, just to give the humans a sense of comfort. And in those rare cases where a newborn has killed people, we’ve killed their makers. Unless…”  
“Unless what?”  
“Unless their makers were important for some reason. Skilled in a way that is of value to us. Rich. Famous. A member of the family.”  
“What happens then?” she asked, looking surprised.  
“Then we select a fall guy to take the blame and make the sacrifice.” Edward shrugged.   
“That’s awful. Someone innocent dies?”  
Edward chuckled. “As innocent as we can be, my love.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “The truth is, you could wipe out the entire town of La Push in a bloodthirsty rage, and I’d get some other newborn and their maker to take the fall. Nobody will ever touch either one of us.”  
Bella studied her mate for a long moment. “That should bother me.”  
He chuckled. “Does it?”  
“On one level.”   
That wasn’t the level that interested him. “But on the other?”  
She shook her head, not willing to say it, so Edward brushed a thumb across her nipple, making her moan. “Come on, baby, say it for me.”  
His lips started a slow treck along her neck and she buried her fingers in his hair and gave him what he wanted. “On the other, it sort of excites me.”  
He laughed darkly as he nipped at her flesh. “Power. You feel powerful, knowing that you answer to nobody.”  
“All my life. Charlie. Jacob. My friends. I’ve always done what they wanted. Now I can do what I want.” What we want.  
“And what do you want to do, Beauty? Shall we kill an entire town?” If she wanted to, he would do it without a thought. Making her happy, thrilling her, exciting her, was his number one priority for eternity.  
Bella snorted out a laugh and shook her head. “No.”   
Edward felt a slight pang of disappointment, but he wasn’t surprised that she wasn’t going to go for it. His disappointment didn’t last long, though.  
“I want you.”  
And really, there was nothing better than that. “I’m all yours.”  
“Yes, all mine.” And she hauled him in the back seat and made him hers all over again.  
Xoxoxoxoxox  
“Who knew you found power to be so intoxicating?” Edward asked an hour later as he entered the outskirts of La Push.  
“You did,” Bella replied, straightening her top.  
It was true. She’d spent the past week, when they weren’t in bed or feeding, watching Edward interact with his brothers and the rest of the staff at the club. Though there was definite love between Edward and his brothers, it was clear that they also were subservient to him, and what Edward wanted eclipsed anything that they desired. Any order given was fulfilled immediately and without question, even from Emmett, although he and Jasper could get away with talking back to Edward while doing whatever he asked. The rest didn’t even attempt it.  
“I need to take you to Volterra sooner rather than later.” At Bella’s blank look, Edward continued. “If you think I’m powerful here, you should see me there.”  
She had no doubt what that would do to her. Already, she dragged him off at any available opportunity, and she’d nearly come undone when Edward had dealt with an unruly vampire causing trouble in the club one night. He’d been so calm and collected, and yet, with merely a few words, he’d had the troublemaker quaking in his boots. She’d never seen anything sexier.  
Edward chuckled at her thoughts. “I’ll have to threaten to dismember more people around you, my beauty.”  
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, save it for the club, Your Highness.” She squeezed his hand as he stopped the car. “Billy’s helping us out, and he doesn’t have to,” she reminded him.  
“I’m not going to kill him for siring the son of a bitch,” Edward muttered. Though if he could go back in time and kill him before Jacob came along, he’d do it. Bella wouldn’t miss that which she’d never known.  
Bella shook her head. “That’s all I ask.”   
They got out and headed toward the house that had seen better days. Paint was peeling, some of the wood was rotting away, and the foundation seemed to be sagging.   
“Good thing we’re indestructible,” Edward observed, getting an elbow to the gut as they walked up to the porch. “What? Doesn’t the asshole live here? He could fix this place up for his father, couldn’t he?” It was an affront to Edward, who would have done anything for his parents if he could have, to think of a son allowing a father to live like this.  
“They don’t have much money,” Bella whispered. “Be polite.”  
Like I was going to insult him? Give me some credit please.  
Bella just smiled at his thoughts and raised a hand to knock on the door. “Billy. We’re here.”  
“Come in,” a gruff voice called, accompanied by a squeaking sound that the pair knew was his wheelchair.   
Bella pushed open the door, as comfortable here as she’d ever been in her own home, and led her mate down the hallway into a living room that would have had Edward’s lip curling in distaste were he not wary of invoking his Bella’s wrath. She had a healthy temper that he had no problem igniting when they were alone, but he knew if he did so in front of Billy, there’d be hell to pay.  
Billy Black sat in his chair, deep black eyes assessing the pair with no hint of animosity. Bella tugged her hand from Edward’s and walked slowly over to the old man when he held out his hands to her. She took them and squeezed them gently.  
“Is that all I get?” he asked, a smile breaking out over his face.   
Edward heard the happiness in his mate’s thoughts that Billy wasn’t afraid of her, that he accepted her for whom she now was as she bent and brushed her lips over his cheek. He was nearly as grateful as Bella was that someone from her old life seemed to support her.  
“Is that better?” she asked, straightening and beaming down at the man whom she’d always considered a second father, even after she’d dismissed the notion of a future with his son.  
“Much. Now introduce me to your boyfriend.”  
Edward wanted to scoff as such a minor term being applied to him, for he was so much more than a mere boyfriend, but he found himself straightening his posture under that sharp black gaze as Billy wheeled over to where he stood.  
“Billy, this is Edward.” Bella returned to his side and slipped an arm around his waist. “He’s my everything.”   
That satisfied Edward more than anything else she could have possibly said, and he saw her lips twitch a little in answer to his thrill at her words.   
“Edward, this is Billy Black.”  
“It’s an honor to meet you,” Edward told him, shaking a hand that was surprisingly strong in such a frail body.  
“I’d say the same, but it seems your presence has caused quite a lot of commotion around here.”  
Edward raised an eyebrow. “I’d apologize, but I wouldn’t mean it.”  
The old man surprised him by tipping back his head and letting out a bark of laughter. “I can see why like him,” he told Bella. “You tell it like it is, don’t you?”  
Edward nodded. “I have no reason not to.”   
“Good. Keep it that way.” Billy rolled over to the wooden coffee table and gestured to the couch. “Please, have a seat.”   
Bella took the seat closest to him, and Edward sat next to her, sinking into the lumpy sofa without complaint.  
Thank you for being nice, Edward.  
He smirked. Of course I’ll be nice, unless he gives me reason not to be.  
Bella gave a slight shake of her head before turning back to Billy. “Thank you for seeing us.”  
Billy smiled sadly. “Your father and I have been friends for too many years to count, but that doesn’t mean that I have to support him when he’s being a stubborn jackass.” He patted Bella’s knee lightly. “I’m sorry to say that he won’t listen to me. I’ve tried but…” He broke off and shrugged. “There are just too many old wounds there. He won’t listen to reason.”  
“Billy, what happened back then? When my mother left?” Her voice broke as she asked the question, and Edward ran a soothing hand over her back. Bella leaned into him and breathed in his scent, finding it calmed her and kept those memories of her father’s angry words from stinging too much.  
Billy closed his eyes and unknowingly took them both back to the day Charlie showed up at his house, young Bella in tow, half out of his mind because Renee had disappeared. “He was incomprehensible, really.” He wasn’t exaggerating. Charlie had been filled with panic. She’d left a note, but he couldn’t fathom how or why she could leave. He refused to sit and talk about it, just told Billy he had to go after her and asked him to watch Bella.  
Billy took them through the scene verbally, with no idea that they saw it in his memories as if they’d been there. Bella had been, but she’d been sent to Jake’s room to play, which she’d done hesitantly, knowing her father was upset, but not why, and her questions to him remained unanswered until he’d returned home and fed her his version of the truth.  
“He was gone for a week, and you were good as gold.” Billy smiled fondly at Bella. “You fit right in here, part of the family. It wasn’t a hardship to take care of you. Jacob worshipped the ground you walked on.” Billy didn’t miss the tensing of Edward’s posture at those words, the way that his arm tightened around his mate.  
“Don’t worry, son. Unlike Charlie, I never thought the kids belonged together. Jake had a crush, and Bella tolerated him.” He patted her knee again. “Could have knocked me over with a feather when you actually started dating him, but I knew it wouldn’t last.”  
“You did?” The shock in Bella’s voice was obvious.  
“You still just tolerated him. Charlie and Jake wore you down until you thought you wanted what they wanted. I hoped in time you’d go after what you were meant to, and it seems that you have.”  
Bella leaned her head against Edward’s shoulder. “I have.”  
“I’m glad. You don’t know how many battles your father and I had over letting you go away to school. He was completely against it, and had you not gotten a scholarship, he’d have made damn sure you stayed in Forks and married my son.” Billy shook his head. “Don’t get me wrong… I want Jacob to be happy, but I knew your heart wasn’t with him. You’d have both been unhappy if you’d gone ahead and gotten married.”  
“You’re right. I didn’t know what true happiness was until I laid eyes on Edward. Then everything just clicked into place.”  
Edward brought her left hand to his lips. “I could say the exact same thing.”  
Billy smiled fondly at the pair. “That’s how it was for my wife and me. That’s what I wanted for you. I’m grateful you’ve found it.” His eyes narrowed at Edward. “That’s not to say that I won’t come after you if you ever hurt her. Vampire or no, I’ll find a way to kill you if you give her one moment’s unhappiness.”  
Edward found himself liking the old man and wondering how on earth a fool like Jacob could be his son. “If I do, I’ll let you, because hurting Bella is the one thing I’d never let myself do.”   
The two men held each other’s gazes, finding a mutual understanding and respect.  
“All right then. You came to get something of Renee’s.” He turned to Bella. “I’m afraid I don’t have much. Your father wanted to erase every memory of her.” He shifted and pulled something out of his shirt pocket. “This was all I was able to get of hers to hold on to for you. I had to argue until I was blue in the face.” He held out a silver locket.   
Bella took it and closed her fingers around it. “I remember this.” Her mind filled with images of her mother smiling and laughing, showing her the picture of herself inside. “There was a picture of me as a baby.” Her fingers fumbled with the clasp, and Edward, sensing the rising hysteria in his mate, took it from her and flipped it open, fearing she’d destroy it as her anxiety increased.  
Sure enough, there was a picture of a baby Bella inside, smiling a wide gummy smile and showing two baby teeth. Something tugged down deep inside him as he looked at that picture, and for the first time in his long life, he wondered what it would be like to have a child of his own, a child with his Bella that looked just like this picture in front of him. He wondered if she regretted the fact that it wasn’t possible, but before the thought got very far, she shook her head.  
Don’t. Don’t you dare. You’re what I want. The only thing. If I can’t have your baby, then I don’t want one. Do you understand me?  
Edward nodded imperceptibly.   
“I told your father that you at least deserved that piece of her and a picture of yourself as a baby. You were a gorgeous child.”  
“She was.” Edward closed the locket gently. “Thank you, Billy. This will help immensely.”  
“Do you really think you can find her?” he asked.  
“I know I can.” He would search heaven and earth to give his Bella back her mother.   
“Charlie didn’t tell me much, just that he found her somewhere up north and that she didn’t want to come home. It never made sense to me, but it was the only story I had. It wasn’t until several years later, when the world found out about your kind, that he told me what she’d become.” His withered old face looked impossibly sad. “The hate had built up inside him for years, and he transferred it to all vampires.”  
“Yeah, I knew he’d be angry when he found out about Edward and me, but he surprised me with just how upset he was. He hates me now.”   
“No, no. He hates what you are, but not who you are. He could never hate the real you, and I hope in time, he’ll remember that you’re not just a vampire; you’re his daughter and the girl that we both love beyond words.”  
She was up and hugging Billy the moment he stopped talking. “I love you, too. Thank you,” she whispered over and over while he patted her back softly.  
“You’re welcome. You let me know if you need anything, and I promise I’ll work on your father, if I have to hit him over the head with my useless cane and run him over with this chair. He’s not the only stubborn one around here.”  
Bella laughed softly and kissed his wrinkled cheek. “My money’s on you any day.”  
“I’m a good bet.”  
“Seems that way,” Edward murmured, holding out a hand and shaking Billy’s. “It was a pleasure meeting you, and thank you for looking out for my Bella.”  
“I’ve been doing it all her life, and I’ll continue to do so until I take my last breath. I’ll expect you to continue on after that. You have a longer shelf life.”  
“I can assure you that I will protect her for eternity. Her wants and needs will forever be the only thing that matters to me, even beyond my own. I’ll give her the world.”  
“All I want is you,” Bella said, making both men smile.  
Billy studied Edward for a long moment. “Then allow me, in her father’s stead, to welcome you to the family, such as it is, son.  
For the first time in longer than he could remember, the word “son” touched something deep down inside Edward. “Thank you.”  
“When you find Renee, after, will you tell me what she had to say? I’ve never understood it. She loved Bella and Charlie so much. It never made sense.”  
It was the least he could do. He was going to do more than that. The man who loved his Bella, who’d cared for her when her own father had run off and after he’d thrown her away, wouldn’t live like this if Edward had any say in it. “We’ll be in touch, I promise.”  
“Thank you.”  
“No, thank you.” Edward turned to Bella. “Ready to go, love?”  
“Yes.” She gave Billy another gentle hug and kiss. “Thanks, Billy, for everything.”  
“Anytime, sweet girl. You call me soon, and don’t be a stranger.”  
“I won’t.”   
They said their goodbyes and walked to the car hand in hand. Edward opened the door for Bella and brushed her hair away from her face, kissing her softly.   
“What was that for?”  
“I love you. And I’m glad one of us has a family member that’s worth a damn.”  
She heard what he didn’t say, his hatred for Aro coming through loud and clear. “He liked you.”  
Edward shook off the anger and smiled at her. “Imagine that, huh? I never thought I’d want a father’s approval, but his…” He broke off and jerked his right shoulder. “It meant something.”  
She cupped his cheek. “It meant the world to me, too. The stuff my father said, it was so awful. Even though I sort of understand why he feels the way he does, there was no excuse for it. I’m not my mother, and we don’t even know what she was thinking and feeling. Do you think Billy was right? Did she love me as much as he said she did?”  
“Of course she did, baby.” Edward hugged Bella to him and held her tightly. “Let’s go find her, and we can prove it, okay?”   
She pulled back, the smile illuminating her face and making her more beautiful than ever. “Okay.”


	7. Chapter 7

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 7  
Edward Cullen was on edge. He was away from his Bella for the first time in the few weeks that they’d been together, and he found that he didn’t like it one bit. He’d always wondered at that incomplete feeling that he’d picked up in stray thoughts from separated mates, never really understanding how a separation of a few hours could be bothersome. He’d thought he would welcome it if his time ever came, but he’d been dead wrong. Being without Bella caused a distinct pressure in his chest. It wasn’t unbearable, but it was uncomfortable and he itched to turn around and find her again. However, he couldn’t. There were pressing matters to attend to that needed to be done without prying eyes around.  
He ran the menial errands that he needed for the club, meeting with alcohol suppliers, licensers, and a politician to keep the peace. Ostensibly, that was the reason he’d left. At least, that was what he wanted everyone but Bella to think.  
Edward knew he could trust Emmett and Jasper explicitly, and when the time was right, he’d tell them of his plans. His brothers would back him up and assist in his power play without a doubt. But he wasn’t so sure about others in the club. News of his mating with Bella had reached Volterra earlier than he’d planned or desired. Someone in his club was reporting back to Aro, and when Edward found out who they were, he’d end them, plain and simple.   
Thanks to his and Bella’s ability to communicate with one another without words, nobody knew that they were planning on finding her mother. Edward didn’t know why he didn’t want anyone to know, but he had a gut feeling that it was something that should be kept under wraps for the time being. So he was seeking help outside of the club.   
“Brother.” He smiled at the approaching figure cutting through the trees. Edward had chosen a secluded spot near the water, a place he’d discovered a couple of years ago and that he came to when he needed an escape.  
“Brother.”   
He gave his brother a half hug before releasing him. He was dressed in an impeccable Italian suit that set off his European good looks. “Demetri, I hope I haven’t imposed upon you?”  
His brother tilted his head, his bright red eyes looking him over. “As if you could ever impose upon me? Though, I’ll admit, you’ve tickled my curiosity. Why are we meeting here, and why couldn’t I tell anyone you’d reached out to me?”  
“Did you?” Edward demanded, his voice harsh as he imagined the consequences of Aro finding out what he was about to discuss with Demetri.  
“Do you even need to ask?” Demetri tossed his shoulder-length black hair, offended. “I don’t know why you wanted secrecy, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t grant it.”  
Edward ordered himself to relax. His brother wouldn’t betray him. He owed him.   
“I’m sorry. I’ve been on edge, and the walls have ears at the club.”  
Demetri nodded. “Would you expect any less? Father wouldn’t let you go without making sure he had someone to keep an eye on you. Maybe several someones. He’s still as paranoid as ever, despite the strides we’ve made.”  
And there it was. “You’ve liked my ideas, us going public, the deal with humans?” Edward inquired. Yes, Demetri had accepted the changes without complaint, but he wanted to know if his brother truly enjoyed them.  
Do you really want to know?   
Edward nodded.  
“For the most part, I like it. I like being able to step out onto the street in the middle of the day and not have humans running in fear. I like that we’re no longer in the shadows. I like human women.” At that, he gave a wolfish grin.  
“What don’t you like?” Edward wanted to know, wanted to dispel any dissatisfaction before he let his brother in on his plans.  
Demetri shrugged one elegant shoulder. “Sometimes I miss the hunt. Chasing my prey into the darkness, cornering them, feeding off their fear before I feed on their blood. There’s still a hint of fear, but it’s nothing like the blood pumping through a pounding heart as my teeth sink into that soft flesh.”  
Edward could only agree. There were times that he missed targeting his prey, stalking them, waiting for the moment to strike.   
“Have you ever slipped?” he asked, for he knew not all of his brothers had the self control that he did. He hadn’t been lying to Bella when he said that his family would never pay if they did decide to feed off humans. It was just the way it was.  
His brother chuckled. “I’ve been tempted a time or two. Luckily, I’m able to find the thrill of the hunt in another way. I take it that’s why I’m here?”  
Right. Edward had other business at hand. “Yes. As you know, I’ve recently found my mate.”  
Demetri shook his head. “I still can’t believe it. Female vampires all over Italy have donned black and gone into mourning.”  
Edward laughed. “You exaggerate.”  
Demetri raised an eyebrow. “Barely. There were quite a few broken hearts when the news broke, all those women who hoped that one day you’d magically discover that they were the one for you.”  
Edward rolled his eyes. “Like it works that way? If they were meant for me, I’d have known it from the moment I laid eyes on them, like I did Bella.”  
“Yes, Bella. Is she as lovely as her name?”  
Edward felt the smile stretching over his face. “Even more so.”  
“Well I look forward to making her acquaintance. I can’t wait to meet the lady that brought you to your knees.”  
Edward laughed. “One day, it’ll happen to you as well.”  
“Lord, I hope not! I’ve had a field day comforting all the girls that are crying over you.”   
The brothers both laughed at Demetri’s exaggerations.  
“We both know you don’t need my help when it comes to women, vampire or otherwise.” Demetri was much desired within the walls of Volterra and beyond, as well.   
“True, but I don’t mind the extras. I’ll take care of them for you.”  
“You do that.” All other women had ceased to exist for Edward the moment he laid eyes on Bella. He didn’t miss emotionless couplings with willing bodies. His connection to his mate was beyond any power he’d ever known.  
“So, if I’m not here to meet the lovely woman that tamed the beast, what am I doing here?”  
“Before I tell you, I need to again request your discretion in this matter. I don’t know how things are going to turn out, so I’d like your word that you won’t mention this to anyone back home or anywhere else for that matter.”  
“Brother, long ago, I swore my fealty to you, when you saved my life. You don’t ever need to ask for my loyalty or my silence. You have it.”  
Many decades ago, Demetri had had a brief affair with a female vampire whose brother hadn’t been quite right in the head. He’d plotted Demetri’s death and had Edward caught wind of it, not only warning his brother, but assisting him in ridding the world of the dangerous vampire. Demetri had been in his debt ever since, and that was one of the main reasons Edward trusted him beyond anyone but Emmett and Jasper.  
“Thank you. As I was saying, my mate lost her mother many years ago. She left the family with nothing but a note, and it wasn’t until recently that Bella found out that she’d become a vampire.”   
Demetri started at that news. “Voluntarily?”  
Edward shrugged. “By all appearances, yes. She found her mate and left her family behind.”  
“But that is unheard of. I’ve never heard tell of a person finding a vampire mate and abandoning their family.”  
Edward was relieved that he wasn’t alone in finding this situation to be astounding. “Nor have I. My Bella needs answers, and I told her that I’d get them for her. You’re the only one I know that could find Renee Swan, or whatever name she’s taken in mating.”  
“Not only would I be happy to do so for your mate, but I admit that my curiosity is burning to be satisfied as well. What more can you give me?”  
“She went north, according to a friend of the family, and that’s all I know. I did get this for you.” He handed his brother the locket. “Please, take care of this. It’s all that Bella has of her mother.”  
Demetri took the necklace carefully. “I’ll guard it with my life.”   
He closed his eyes as he closed his palm around the pendant. Nobody really knew how his gift worked; he was just able to get a sense of a person when he touched something that belonged to them. His body turned to the west.   
“That way.”  
Edward didn’t question the direction. His brother had never failed to find whomever he was tasked with locating.   
“Thank you.”  
Demetri waved off his thanks. “Anything for you.” At the slight narrowing of his Edward’s eyes, he pressed on. “What more is there?”  
“How do you feel about Father?” It didn’t come out as smoothly as Edward had planned, but he wanted to surprise his brother into a truthful answer.  
What an odd question. What does he want me to say?  
“I want the truth.”  
“Without Father, none of us would be.” It was the safe answer, the kind of answer that would satisfy Aro, not Edward.  
“Yes, without him, we’d be long dead. We would have lived the lives we were supposed to live, as humans. I’m not asking how you feel about being a vampire.”  
“I don’t remember much about my life before,” his brother told him hesitantly. “Things have been pretty good since I’ve been changed.”  
Edward tried to swallow his impatience. They’d all been trained not to say or feel or even think anything negative about Aro. Of course his brother had reservations.  
“Father is antiquated in his beliefs. He’s controlling, paranoid, overdramatic, and possibly a little psychotic. He’s arrogant and too powerful.” Edward saw the shock on Demetri’s face before he masked it. “Am I wrong?”  
His brother’s mind was whirling. Part of him agreed completely with what Edward had said; the other part feared the repercussions of voicing that agreement.  
“I don’t tell you that to set you up for anything, as you could as easily use what I said against me as I could you if you agreed. I want to know what you think of Aro, the vampire-not your sire, not the king of our kind. In a vacuum, how do you view him?”  
“Where are you going with this?” Demetri asked, his voice an octave higher than usual.  
“Answer me and I’ll tell you. The truth, Demetri. Nothing you say here will be held against you, whether you agree or disagree.”  
His normally unruffled brother ran a hand through his hair. “It…It is as you say.”  
“So you agree with me? That he’s too powerful and unstable?”  
“Well, I mean…most of the time, he seems okay, but there are times…”   
Edward got flashes of Aro losing his mind at a perceived threat when he couldn’t read the thoughts of some random vampire. He’d ordered said vamp exterminated, even though they hadn’t done anything to warrant it.   
“He is suspicious whenever any of us are away for too long. The last time I was gone, he questioned me thoroughly and wouldn’t stop touching me for a good hour longer than necessary.”  
“Were you able to shield your thoughts from him?” Edward asked sharply. It was imperative that his brother control his thoughts around Aro. If he couldn’t…Edward would have to take drastic actions that he would loathe, but would do in order to protect himself and Bella.  
“There was nothing to shield, but if you’re asking if I’m still in the habit of keeping certain things to myself, then yes. I haven’t forgotten your lessons.” Demetri’s mind flashed back to Edward showing several of the younger vampires how to keep from revealing what their father wanted to know. Since he could only read thoughts through touch, they simply had to think of something that had nothing to do with whatever Aro wanted to know. “Why do I feel like you taught us that for reasons beyond not getting in trouble for destroying his office when we got overenthusiastic during sex or killed one of the servants by accident?”  
Edward had to admire his brother’s sharp mind. “I had my reasons, yes.”  
“Lord help me, are you planning to overthrow Father? Is his supposed paranoia actually good acumen?”  
Edward hesitated. “If I were?”  
Demetri whirled and paced around the forest floor, his mind flying as he envisioned scenarios that included Aro dying, Edward dying, and himself being tortured before mercifully being ended as well. He saw a war between the old and the new, as Aro had family that would die before they allowed him to be usurped.   
“It would be ugly.”  
“Perhaps. Perhaps there are more like you and me that see the bigger picture of where we are and where we’re destined to go. Father thirsts for power, yes, but do you really think he can take it? Without me? Without you? And others? We’d still be skulking in the dark if it weren’t for me.”  
“That’s true, but…”  
“He took us from everything we knew and loved, destroyed our families, and made us into his likeness, without even a thought or care for what we wanted. Don’t you think it’s time he paid for that?”  
Demetri was stunned. “You hate him. You really hate him and I never knew. For as long as I can remember, you’ve been his favorite, the one we all envied, the one we all strove to be. How couldn’t I see it? How couldn’t he?”  
“Because I’m that good. From the moment I was old enough to understand, before he even turned me, I knew that one day, I’d take him down. I knew it would take a while; maybe I didn’t expect it to be a century, but I’ve bided my time, and it’s nearly here. He’s feeling very confident these days, basking in our advancements. The time to strike is now.”  
“Brother, you know that I’ll support you in whatever you want to do. But you’re talking about a war.”  
“Not necessarily. There are more like me, like us. You’re not the first that I’ve approached, and you won’t be the last. I won’t hold it against you if you feel you can’t act, but know that I will if you should side against me.”  
“I could never.” Demetri shook his head. “I owe you my life.”  
Edward nodded. “Technically, you owe him as well, since he created you. I understand the battle in your head.”  
“My head says you’re crazy; my heart says you’re right.”  
Edward smiled, knowing that he’d won. “Which are you going to listen to?”  
Demetri sighed. “What have you planned?”  
“Nothing concrete, yet. There are a few others I need to feel out before I make any kind of move. Chelsea will have to be dealt with.”  
“Her binds are tough to break.”  
“Yes.” She would have to die. Edward didn’t verbalize it, but he saw the understanding dawn in his brother’s eyes.  
“Demi, I know I’m asking a lot of you. We’d be more than even if you stand beside me. I’ll owe you more than I could ever repay. I can’t assure you of anything, other than if we are successful-and I assure you that we will be-you’ll have nobody to answer to but yourself. The days of Aro’s rule, with fear and intimidation, will be a thing of the past. We’re already free in so many ways, but we’re not free from him. We won’t ever be, until he’s gone. Even now, here, I have someone watching over me and reporting back to him. Don’t you want to be rid of that?”  
“Of course. But wouldn’t you be the new ruler?”  
“In theory, yes. But I’m not interested in ruling our race. I’m interested in theirs.” Edward gestured to the city.   
“Like what? You want them to be our slaves?” Demetri was horrified, and Edward laughed at the images he had in his mind. At one time, perhaps he wouldn’t have minded such a scenario. But that was before Bella, and humans like John and Billy. His perspective had changed.  
“Of course not. I want people to co-exist with us; I just want us to be the ones in charge. Right now, humans are under the impression that we’re subservient to them, even though deep inside, they know we could easily destroy them. I’m not interested in changing many of the agreements we’ve already made, but I want us to be stronger…in positions of power. Part of their governments-hell, the head of their governments. I want us to have a say, the say.”  
“Isn’t that what Aro wants?”  
“No, he wants what you imagine. Slaves. Him sitting on a throne as humans are brought to him to feed. He wants Volterra everywhere. I want equality. And the opportunity to rule peacefully. None of this is immediate. It will take time to win trust. I don’t want to intimidate man; I want to work with him. I want it to be their idea to elect us to power, their acceptance. I want to do it the right way.”  
“This is a lot to absorb.”  
Edward knew when to step back. “I know you need time. All I ask for now is that you keep this conversation between us. When you see father…”  
“There will be no mention or thought of you. I have others to find at his behest. Don’t worry; I know what needs to be done.”  
It wasn’t the immediate acquiescence he’d hoped for, but Edward thought things had gone pretty well. His brother might be hesitant, but Edward knew the picture he’d painted in his mind of their father was unfavorable and distasteful to Demetri.  
“Thank you. For listening and for helping my Bella.”  
“What does she think of all of this?” Demetri asked quietly.  
Edward smiled. “We haven’t talked about it overly much, but she knows that I need to overthrow Aro. I could do that and forego anything else and be quite happy. But I cannot let him live. To do so would be catastrophic for our kind and destroy everything I’ve built toward.”  
His brother nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”  
“Okay. Thank you again.” Edward embraced Demetri and was hugged in return.  
Demetri turned to go, reaching the tree line before hesitating. I will support you, brother. No matter the outcome, I’ll stand with you.  
“Thank you.”   
Demetri disappeared without another word, and Edward breathed a sigh of relief. It hadn’t been easy, but capitulation without question would have worried him more than hesitance any day. He had another ally. More would come. But in the meantime, he needed to return to Bella. Nothing felt right without her by his side.


	8. Chapter 8

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 8  
I’ll be with you momentarily, my love.  
Bella breathed a sigh of relief when Edward’s thoughts returned to her. The pain in her chest immediately subsided the moment he was in her vicinity. It was the strangest thing, to feel actual physical hurt at being separated from him, even if only for a few hours.   
I couldn’t be happier to hear you again.  
Bella found she was able to focus on her company finally, now that Edward was close. She hadn’t missed a word the entire time he’d been gone, but their presence hadn’t been forefront in her mind either. He was. Edward always was.   
“Seriously, nobody can believe that you’re a vampire now. Wait until I show Johnny these pictures. He’s gonna die. He was hot for you before you changed but now…you’re a total knockout.” Jessica snapped pictures and chattered away.  
Bella laughed. “Well, thanks, Jess, but I don’t care about what Johnny thinks of me, then or now.”  
“Who’s Johnny? Hello, ladies.” Edward smiled smoothly as he wrapped his arms around Bella from behind. She turned and kissed him, immediately forgetting about their audience of Jessica, Lauren, Emmett, and Jasper.  
Holy shit, that’s hot. You just know he’s amazing in bed.  
Edward stifled his laughter, just barely, and Bella let out a giggle at Lauren’s thought. She wanted to confirm it but figured that wouldn’t be the best idea.  
No, love, she doesn’t need to know about our talents. Nor that I’m good in bed.  
Bella raised a brow. I believe the word was amazing and even that doesn’t suffice.  
Edward let out a little growl and nuzzled her neck. Don’t make me drag you away from here and live up to my reputation.  
Bella leaned into him and laced her fingers through his. And the problem with that would be?  
“Okay, you two, enough with the raging hormones. Are we set for the club this week?” Jasper’s smirk said he knew just what was going on in the heads of the mates and that he wasn’t sorry for interrupting them.  
“Oh yes, everything’s ordered and paid for. We won’t run out of anything,” Edward assured him.  
Are you sure? Because people were a bit pissed off when we ran out of tequila while you were on your Bella binge.  
Edward wasn’t remotely apologetic for getting too caught up in his mate to worry about the club’s alcohol supply. He shot his brother a dirty look and turned back to Jessica.  
“So who is this Johnny that’s going to be admiring my Bella’s new appearance?”   
“Uhhhh…ummm…” Jessica stuttered, completely awed and nervous to be getting Edward’s full attention.   
“He’s president of a fraternity on campus,” Bella supplied, stepping in for her normally gregarious friend. She was all too aware of how intimidating and deadly sexy Edward could be, especially to a human girl. “I barely knew him.”  
“Yeah,” Jessica breathed a sigh of relief when Edward’s attention shifted to his mate. “Bella never hooked up with him or anything. He was just into her and I thought I’d let him see just how beautiful she is now.” Edward looked at Jessica and had her shivering. “I don’t have to, though.” Please don’t kill me.  
Bella squeezed Edward’s hands and he deliberately relaxed his expression. “I’m hardly worried about some fraternity president. Feel free to show him the pictures and tell him that I’m grateful that he wasn’t man enough to pursue Bella when he had the chance.”  
“Um, well, sure. I mean, you’re way hotter than he is. Bella wouldn’t look twice at him now, not that she ever did then either. She was mostly into reading in our room and studying and stuff.”  
“Is that so?” Now Edward gave Jessica a beautiful smile that had her body quaking in a completely different way. “Tell me more about my girl.”  
“Bella was the shyest of us,” Lauren supplied, shaking her head, blond hair shining. “It’s hard to believe that she came here with us that night, let alone met you and agreed to become a vampire.”  
“For real, getting her here was like pulling teeth. But we browbeat her into submission and the rest is history!” Jessica grinned at Bella.  
Edward chuckled. Watch this.   
“Then I am forever in your debt, ladies.” He took Lauren’s hand and kissed it, causing her heartbeat to kick up to unhealthy levels and then did the same with Jessica, whose eyes rolled back into her head. Jasper caught her before she fell onto the floor in a dead faint.  
“Nice, brother.”  
You don’t play fair, Mr. Cullen.   
Edward grinned at the amusement in Bella’s mind. You wanted me to be nice. This is what happens when I’m nice to human women.  
Jasper brought Jessica back around and she blushed when she saw all eyes on her. “Sorry about that. I don’t know what came over me.”  
“I do,” Emmett boomed out on a laugh. “Edward’s deadly.”  
“In more ways than one,” Jasper said drily. “Are you okay?”  
“Yeah. Just…wow. You’re a lucky girl,” she told Bella as she sat up on Jasper’s lap.  
Bella chuckled. “Yes, I’m quite aware of that.”  
“It is I who am lucky.” Edward kissed his mate’s hand next and made her smile. “And I will be forever in your debt for bringing Bella into my life that night. My world was nothing without her.”  
Hot damn, what I’d give for a man to say that about me. Jessica’s thoughts were envious.  
I think I just came. What a sexy vampire. Lauren’s lecherous. Both made Edward feel smug and Bella feel even more blessed for having him in her life.  
“On that note, I think we’ll leave the lovebirds alone.” Jasper stood, carrying Jessica in his arms. “We have other things to attend to.”  
“Damn right we do.” Emmett grabbed Lauren’s hand and tugged her to her feet. Thanks for getting them all worked up, Eddie. We’ll take it from here.  
“Have fun.” Edward didn’t even bother to watch them head downstairs. His eyes were only for his Bella.   
“You’re incorrigible, Mr. Cullen,” Bella told him after he’d thoroughly kissed her hello.  
“Hmm, do you need to punish me, Miss Swan?” He filled her mind with images of him tied up and her spanking him that had her laughing and shaking her head, but squirming in her seat at the same time.  
“Or do I need to punish you? Who is this Johnny person?”   
She shrugged. “We had a class together but I barely knew him and I certainly didn’t know he liked me. I wasn’t interested in any boys.”  
“My clueless, gorgeous girl. You didn’t understand how utterly beautiful and perfect you were, did you? That’s why you settled for unworthy bastards like Jacob. You didn’t see what you were meant to be. A queen. My queen.” His fingers cupped her face and he kissed her passionately. Her hands gripped his forearms and held him tightly to her, his words stirring something deep inside of her.  
“You make me feel like I could rule the world,” she murmured when they broke apart.  
“You could.” You will, one day.  
She shook her head. I couldn’t fathom that. Aloud, she said, “I have you. You’re all I need.”  
“Then let me give you what you need.” Edward swept her up and carried her to the door that led to their room. She pressed her hand to the panel and they hurried into their bedroom.  
“Wait.” Bella stopped Edward’s busy hands before he could get her blouse completely undone.   
How did it go?  
Perfectly. Demetri’s already got a sense of your mother and he’s going west to find her. He’ll let me know when he does.  
Edward slipped the blouse off Bella’s shoulders and admired her creamy, soft skin as his fingers moved down her arms.  
Thank you for doing this for me. I can’t even begin to tell you how much it means.  
He smiled and shook his head. You don’t have to tell me. I know. I can feel it.   
Mmmm, feel this. He moaned as her fingernails scraped up his torso as she tugged his shirt up and over his head.   
Perfect, love. He kissed her softly as his hands moved down to cup her ass. Were there any thoughts that concerned you while I was away?  
Edward had hoped that whomever was spying on them, on him, would let down their guard when he was away. Since Bella had his same ability, she might be able to catch something.  
No. But I can honestly say I wasn’t really focused on anything but you while you were gone. I was able to talk to the girls and your brothers but I wasn’t really all there without you. I got a sense of what everyone was feeling, but nothing that we should worry about.  
Interesting. He unfastened her jeans and guided them over her hips. Perhaps you just haven’t learned to compartmentalize yet. We can do so many things at once, even when we’re not fully focused.  
I don’t know but oh! That feels good. Edward grinned as he nipped at her neck again. Your brothers were bored having to make small talk. I think they just wanted to get laid.  
Edward laughed out loud at that. Can’t say I blame them there. And the girls? He rubbed her through her skimpy underwear and made her shudder out a breath.  
How am I supposed to think when you touch me there?   
You’re not. He steered her over to the bed and pushed her down upon it gently. I was just testing your focus.  
“I can’t focus on anything but you when you’re half naked.”  
Edward chuckled. “Good. How about now?” He whipped off his pants and boxers and stood before her in nothing.  
“What?” she asked, making him laugh harder. He stopped laughing when she ripped off her own bra and panties, though.  
Hmm, it seems that I can distract you just as easily as you distract me, my Edward.  
“Never have any doubt about that, Bella.” His body was practically shaking to touch and be touched by her, so he lowered himself down upon her and breathed her in. “I don’t feel right when I’m not with you.”  
“Oh, Edward, it was the same for me. Jess was so excited to see me and tell me all about school and Lauren was even happy to be here and all I could do was wish you were with me so I could feel good again.”  
“I’m sorry I had to leave you, love. Next time I’ll take you with me.”  
“Okay. I felt like part of me was missing without you.”  
“We’re both whole again, my beauty.” He shifted and slipped inside her and felt that feeling of peace he only got when it was just the two of them, joined as one.  
“Yes. I love you.”  
No words ever meant more to him. “I love you, too.”   
They moved together, their bodies so in tuned, as if they’d been mated for centuries rather than weeks. She opened herself to him, wrapping her legs around him, lifting her hips to meet his every thrust. Their eyes held, red to red, as neither one wanted to miss a moment of their love making.  
They rolled as one, their minds as connected as their bodies, and Bella sat atop him, never losing their rhythm as his hands came up to cup her breasts.  
Touch yourself. It wasn’t an order, but a plea, and she slid her hand down her body, touching herself just above where they were joined. Edward had never seen anything more beautiful than his mate as she pleasured herself, both of them, as her hips moved above his.  
Bella couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that Edward, the most beautiful creature that had ever existed, was hers. She didn’t question it, or doubt it; she just couldn’t believe her luck. For surely there wasn’t a man or vampire or anything else that could hold a candle to him. His face, his hands, his body…there was nothing better as far as she was concerned. Not even the finest carved statue came close to the perfection that was her mate.  
You’re the perfect one.  
He admired the way her body moved, with more grace than that of a female panther hunting her prey. Her breasts fit his hands as if they’d been molded for him alone, which as far as Edward was concerned, they had been. Her alabaster skin glowed in the dim light of the room, glinting like a fine cut diamond. He smiled at that wayward thought.  
“Edward!” Bella cried as her fingers combined with his cock to send her over the edge. As she tossed back her head and clamped around him, he found his own release, growling and crying her name as his came deep inside her.  
They remained joined, and Bella lowered herself down to rest on his chest. He smiled as he twirled a lock of her hair around his finger.  
“I love you more than words can ever say.”  
“You say it in everything you do.” She kissed him softly. “I talked to Billy after you left.”  
“Oh?” Edward grinned. “Did he like my surprise?”  
“A truck full of new furniture and a crew of twenty to fix up the house? I think you can safely assume that he liked it.” She grinned at him. “Seriously overkill, Edward, but he was thrilled. He couldn’t exactly give a gift like that back.”  
Edward chuckled. “The old man has pride but I figured if someone started fixing up his house with him in it he could hardly make a move to stop them. Was he truly happy?”  
“Yes. And I’m happy that you’d do something like that for him.”  
“He loves you and he’d do anything for you. He’s like a father to you, more so than the one who made you, and he deserves to be comfortable. It was the least I could do.”  
“Well, he thanks you and so do I.”  
“I believe you’ve given me your thanks but if you’d like to again…” he broke off when she poked him in his ribs. “Hey, just saying.”  
She laughed. “I’m not done with you yet, mister.”  
“There is a God,” he muttered, making her giggle harder. “It’s a shame that Jacob has to benefit from my generosity, but I suppose I can’t ask the man to kick out his own son.”  
“No, you can’t, but I’m sure Jake’s going to throw a fit when he finds out who paid for all the upgrades.”  
Edward found that rather satisfying. “He’ll be right pissed, huh? Maybe he’ll even come over here to threaten me again.” One could hope.  
“He’d be a fool to do so.”  
“He is a fool. He had you and he let you go. I can think of nothing more foolish than that.”  
Bella smiled softly. “I wanted him to let me go. I would never want that of you.”  
He moved them so that they lay side by side, staring into one another’s eyes. “Good, because that’s one thing I’ll never do. You’re mine and I’m yours and nothing will ever come between that. Nothing,” he vowed, his voice getting darker at the very thought of anything trying to separate them.  
“Hey.” She brushed her fingers through his hair. “Nothing will. Not my father. Not yours. Not my mother. Certainly not Jake. This, us, is all there is.”  
They came together again, not slowly and sweetly like before, but madly, claiming one another with hard lips and hands, fucking their way right off the bed, but not stopping when they hit the floor with a loud bang. They kept going until they were both completely spent. Had they been human, they’d have both been bruised and battered and swollen. As it was, they were actually tired when they finished, which was rare for a vampire.  
“That was…amazing,” Bella said, when she could speak again, using Lauren’s word for lack of anything better.  
Edward laughed. “I had to live up to my reputation.” Then his mirth died off his face and he touched her cheek gently. “I want you to be mine in every way.”  
She kissed his palm. “I am.”  
He shook his head. “No. I mean, you are, in our ways, but I want you to be mine in the human way as well. I want you to be my wife, take my name, and wear my ring. Will you marry me, Bella?” It wasn’t how he’d planned to ask, but it felt right to him to do it now, after they were reunited and sated.  
Her eyes softened and she swore she felt her heart start beating at his words. “Of course I’ll marry you, Edward. I can’t wait to take your name and wear your ring.”  
The word ring had Edward springing up and grabbing his pants. “I can’t believe I forgot. I ran an extra errand when I was out.”   
He took a box out of his pocket and knelt beside Bella on the floor again. “I was going to do this with more finesse.”  
She laughed and shook her head. “I think it’s a beautiful proposal.”  
“That’s because you’re meant for me.” He kissed her softly. “I love you. You’re my entire world and I’ll spend my existence making you happy. Will you marry me?”  
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. He slid the large cushion cut diamond onto her ring finger. “God, it’s beautiful.”  
“Nowhere near as beautiful as you are. I can’t believe I lived a century without you.”  
“That was just time you needed to practice so you’d be perfect when I came along,” she teased. “You don’t have to live another second without me.”  
He laughed. “Then it was worth it. How about we practice our honeymoon now, so that it’s perfect as well?”  
“I like to practice,” she murmured as he climbed on top of her and slid inside her again.  
“Me too.”


	9. Chapter 9

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 9  
Word of Edward and Bella’s engagement spread as quickly as news of their mating had, only this time, Edward wasn’t upset about it. He’d been the first to let everyone know that Bella was going to be his bride. He’d texted his brothers immediately after he and Bella had been spent from their own private celebration.   
Bella laughed as his fingers flew over the screen. “You’re going to tell them over a text message?”  
He smiled at her, his eyes tracing over the curve of her bare torso. “I’m not ready to give up my perfect view in order to tell them in person.”  
“Sweet talker. I already said yes.” But her answering smile was nearly brighter than the sun in Edward’s eyes.  
“And that, my love, will always be one of my most favorite words you could ever utter.” He brushed a kiss over her palm that lay on the pillow next to his head.  
What are the others?  
He answered before she could verbalize the thought. “Well, of course there’s ‘I love you.’” Bella’s soft sigh at his words made him grin. “And on our wedding day, I’m pretty sure ‘I do’ will be near the top of the list as well.”  
“Yes, I can see how those would be favorites.”  
“Then there’s the way you growl my name when I make you come and-” He broke off, laughing as she pushed him off the bed. “You asked!”  
Bella peered over the side of the bed, looking contrite. “I didn’t mean to push you that hard.”  
Edward continued to laugh as he sprang to his feet and tackled his mate, pinning her to the bed. “You’re stronger than I am, my beauty, in many, many ways. But you didn’t hurt me, and I rather love when you manhandle me. Feel free to do it again.”  
She giggled as she reversed their positions. “Why don’t we-” She broke off at the sound of Emmett bellowing Edward’s name from outside the door. “I guess he got your text.”  
Edward sighed as he sat up, lamenting the fact that he’d inadvertently caused their interruption when things were getting fun again. “Let’s just pretend we don’t hear him,” he suggested as the wall started to shake from Emmett’s pounding upon it.  
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to work.” Bella got off his lap and pulled on Edward’s shirt and a pair of her own jeans. “You have only yourself to blame.”  
“You’d think a man could be left alone to celebration his engagement in peace.”  
Bella laughed at his sullen expression, tossing him a pair of jeans. “We have been alone-” She glanced at the clock- “for eighteen hours.”  
He got up and put on his jeans, not fastening the button. “Not nearly enough time.” But he knew that he had to get back to reality very soon. “Let’s go see what the overgrown child wants, and then we can get back to celebrating.”  
Bella shook her head as she looked at herself in the mirror, finding she looked no worse for the wear, despite the marathon sex session. One of the best parts of being a vampire, in her eyes, was that she didn’t have to fuss with her appearance at all. She combed her fingers through her hair once and looked just as put together as she had earlier in the day.  
“Well, you know now that Jasper and Emmett know; we have to tell Aro before he hears it from someone else.” Her red eyes met his in the reflection of the mirror, gauging his reaction to her words.  
Edward tensed at the mention of the name, but he knew she was right. It had actually been his plan before he’d decided he hadn’t had enough of his Bella yet.  
When Emmett bellowed again, Edward picked his phone back up from where it had fallen when his beloved had pushed him off the bed and fired off a text.   
Five minutes, you loud baboon. I have to call Aro.  
“Let’s do that now,” Bella suggested.  
He didn’t have to say or think anything for Bella to know that he needed to touch her as he put the call through to Aro.  
“Edward, my boy! It’s been far too long!”  
Edward rolled his eyes at the chiding tone. “Ah, Father, surely you know that I haven’t had much free time since Bella came along.”  
A delighted laugh filled the line. “Yes, my son, I remember all too well what it was like to be newly mated. Have you two come up for air at all yet?”  
Like you don’t know? Edward thought sourly.   
Bella squeezed his hand gently and pressed a kiss to his bare shoulder in quiet support.  
“Occasionally.” Though he just wanted to announce his news and hang up, Edward knew there were certain conversational niceties that had to be met in order to satisfy Aro. “How are you, Father? How’s Mother?”  
Bella marveled at how smooth Edward’s voice was, not betraying the hatred that he so clearly felt for Aro.  
“We are quite well, son! Your mother hasn’t stopped talking about you since she heard you’d found your mate. I’m afraid it’s taken all of my persuasion to keep her from boarding a plane to come meet your Bella.”  
Edward fought to control the growl that wanted to spill forth at those words. He didn’t want them to come to Seattle. He didn’t want them on his turf. The next time he saw them would be in Volterra, and if he had anything to say about it, it would be the last.  
Bella stroked his arm in a soothing gesture. He closed his eyes and leaned into her, inhaling her scent. Just that was enough to calm him.  
“Tell her that won’t be necessary, Father. I’ll be bringing Bella to her soon enough.” He brought his mate’s hand to his lips and kissed her just below her sparkling ring. “I’ve asked Bella to marry me, and she said yes. We wanted you to be the first to know.”  
The gasp that filled the line was loud and sharp and very excited. “I’m delighted! Your mother will be beside herself! I hope that you plan to let her help with the wedding, because she’s already been muttering about it and-”  
“Let me talk to him!” a sharp female voice demanded. Before Aro could respond, she was on the line. “Edward! Is it true? Is my baby getting married?”  
Bella laughed at the exasperated expression on Edward’s face. Just a few words was all it took to make him feel like a child.  
“Yes, Mother, Bella agreed to marry me.” He held the phone away from their ears and covered the receiver to muffle the shriek that sounded through it. When he was relatively sure it was safe, he moved the phone back to his ear.  
“When are you coming? We have so much to do. Your father and I will throw you a wonderful engagement party so everyone can meet Bella. Then we have to talk flowers and music and-”  
Edward stopped her before she could get in full planning mode. “We just got engaged, Mother. We haven’t worked out the timing yet, but I promise it’ll be soon.” His gaze met his Bella’s. “I can’t wait to make her my wife.”  
Sulpicia’s sigh carried through the line. “So romantic. I always knew what a beautiful heart you had, and I knew one day you’d find your other half and she’d take you away from me. I look forward to meeting her.”  
Edward found he didn’t really know what to say, which was rare for him. Fortunately, Bella heard the blankness in his mind, and she took the phone gently from him.  
“I can’t wait to meet you, either.” Though it pained her to say the next words, she knew she needed to say them to help further her mate’s plans. “I lost my mother a long time ago, and I’m very much hoping that you’ll help me when it comes to planning the wedding. I don’t really have a clue.”  
“Oh, yes! Of course I’ll help you! My son deserves nothing but the best. No girl should have to plan her wedding without a mother’s help.”  
Bella bit back a sob. “Thank you. I’m thrilled to become a part of your family, and I know from everything Edward’s told me that I’m going to love you just as much as he does.”  
Edward regarded his mate with pure awe. Every time he thought she couldn’t surprise him, couldn’t make him love her even more, she did.  
Sulpicia’s gasping sob told him that his Bella had said the perfect words to her.  
“I love him just as much and look forward to meeting the girl he’s given his heart. I can’t wait to meet you.”  
Edward took the phone, saving his Bella from having to respond. “You will, soon, Mother. We’ll be in touch shortly to start planning, but right now, we want to celebrate being engaged for a little while, if you know what I mean.”  
Her tinkling laugh told him she knew exactly what he meant. “Okay, dear heart. Have her call me soon! We have lots to plan! I love you!”  
“Will do, Mother. Love you, too. Bye!”  
He disconnected and tossed the phone aside, pulling Bella onto his lap. “Are you okay?”  
She nodded. “Yeah. That was hard, but I knew you needed me to involve her so she wouldn’t come here before you were ready for…you know.”  
He kissed her hard, filled with wonder that his mate was truly perfect for him. “You said the perfect thing, my beauty. She loves planning events, and her happiness will make Aro happy, which will keep him from getting too suspicious.”  
“That was my goal.”  
He shifted her so that she straddled his lap. “You were made for me, you know that?”  
She laughed. “Of course I was. Who else could put up with your insatiable lust?”  
He growled. “I’ll show you insatiable…”  
“Edward! Bellaaaaaaa!”  
“Damn him!”   
Bella laughed and kissed his forehead before standing and pulling him to his feet. “Later, my love. Let’s go see what our brother is up to now.”  
He stopped her before she could get to the door. “Our brother. Our wedding. Our lives. I can’t tell you what it does to me to see you so completely fit into my world, Bella. I would walk away from it all for you without a thought but-”  
“They wouldn’t let you.” She kissed him softly. “And I don’t want you to. You’re going to get everything you ever wanted, Edward. You’ve promised me the world, which is beyond anything I could ever imagine, and I’m promising you here and now that I’ll help you get what you want most. Our wedding will be the perfect time, won’t it?” We’ll kill him and end the control he has over all of us, you especially.  
He had never been more conflicted. “Of course, but I don’t want to ruin-”  
“You’ll ruin nothing. Your freedom means more to me than any vows you could make at our wedding. I already know how you feel about me, Edward.”  
He shook his head and pulled her close. “You couldn’t possibly. Every time I think I couldn’t love you more, you make me fall even harder and faster. How is that possible?”  
“Because I was made for you.” She kissed his chin. “Don’t you forget it.”  
“I couldn’t.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “I won’t do a thing until we’re married. I want to be your husband more than I want anything else. Don’t doubt that.” He would give her all the pomp and circumstance of a Volterra wedding. It rivaled anything the royal families around the world could conceive of to be sure.  
She smiled at him. “I know. Now let’s go see what our brother wants before he breaks the wall.”   
No sooner had she spoken than the pounding started up again.  
Edward muttered the whole way about interruptions and damning the outside world for keeping him from his mate while Bella laughed at his grumping. They emerged from the private chambers and found Emmett grinning maniacally while Jasper scowled at him.  
“What the fuck is going on?” Edward demanded, his glare completely deadly. Unfortunately for him, it fell on two of the three vampires who were least likely to cower under it.  
“Bro! Sis! Congratulations!” Emmett crushed them together in a tight hug, making Edward growl and smack at him while Bella laughed and hugged him back.  
“Is that what had you screaming?” Edward demanded once he’d disentangled himself and Bella from his brother’s bulky arms. “Don’t you think that maybe the reason I texted you was so that you’d know but leave us alone?”  
Emmett pursed his lips. “I might have thought that, true, but I knew deep down that you’d want to celebrate with your best friends and favorite brothers. You’re welcome.”  
“Why haven’t I killed you yet?” Edward wondered aloud.  
“Easy. You love me.” Dimples winked at Edward before he held up a hand to ward off a likely attack. “That’s not really why I bothered you, though.” Emmett could appear stupid sometimes, but he knew just how far he could push his brother before it was too far. “I should have waited, but I was too excited.”  
“What’s this all about, man? Edward and Bella were clearly having a good time, and I was headed toward my own when you grabbed me and dragged me back here, practically skipping down the street the entire way. What gives?” Jasper was nearly as put out by Emmett’s behavior as Edward was, and his scowl had only deepened as Emmett congratulated their brother and his fiancée on their engagement.  
“Okay, wait for it!” Emmett took a deep breath, keeping his mind from wandering to the place it had been since his world had changed an hour ago. At the growls that came from his brothers for yet another delay tactic, he smiled.  
“I found her!”  
“Who the hell is her?” Jasper wondered, confused at Emmett’s random announcements. As far as he knew, Emmett wasn’t looking for anyone.   
Edward’s eyes narrowed a bit, but Bella got it right away. “Your mate? You found your mate?”  
“Yes!” Emmett twirled Bella around the room while Edward watched him wearily.   
Jasper felt a spike of jealousy. He was happy for his brother, but the last thing he wanted to be around was another mated pair. The lust that rolled off Edward and Bella every second of the day was enough to drive him mad. He’d had more sex in the past month than he’d had in an entire year. Desperation even had him sleeping with Maria again; something he’d sworn off in the past few months because he knew it was only going to encourage her to stick around once their time was up. She was the clingy type, and it was enough to drive him insane.  
“Unhand my woman and tell me about her,” Edward suggested, taking Bella back into his arms and feeling better immediately. He wasn’t worried about her and Emmett; he just didn’t like her being away from him. Bella scratched his scalp lightly, and he purred and nuzzled at her neck.  
“Okay, so Jasper and I were coming back from dropping off the girls at school when he decided he needed to stop off at that stupid shoe store that he can’t stay away from.”  
Jasper glared at him. “I needed new boots!”  
“You’re worse than a chick when it comes to boots,” Emmett told him before turning back to Edward and Bella. “Anyway, I wasn’t about to stand there holding his purse while he tried on boots-Oof…” He grunted as Jasper plowed a fist into his face. He pushed Jasper and sent him flying halfway across the room.  
“So I wandered into the electronics store, and there she was,” he continued as if he hadn’t just thrown his brother a good ten feet.   
“What happened? What’s she like?” Bella asked, looking enthralled, happy that Emmett was going to be as happy and in love as she and Edward were.   
Edward loved her sweetness and how wholly she’d embraced his family as her own. How her family could turn their back on her was beyond comprehension for him.  
“She’s beautiful!” Emmett whirled around, looking every bit like an infatuated school girl.   
Edward snickered at that thought, while Bella nudged him and shook her head. Then Edward wondered if he looked like that when he was with Bella, and she giggled and nodded.  
“Don’t you two start that voodoo no-talking shit! This is about me!” Emmett scolded them, but he was still grinning. “Her name is Rosalie Hale, and she works there. She knows everything there is to know about computers and TVs and stuff. She’s blond, sexy, sweet, and smart!”  
“And she was meant for you? I just don’t see it,” Edward said, biting back a laugh at Emmett’s thunderous expression.  
“Well, it’s true! She’s coming by tonight, and you can meet her then. You’ll see. I took one look at her, and I knew. It was just like you and Bella. She feels it too; I know she does.”  
“How do you know?” Jasper’s jealousy was growing by leaps and bounds. He never thought he’d see the day that Emmett, of all people, would settle down, leaving him well and truly alone.  
“I don’t know how to put it into words.” Emmett shook his head. “It’s just like…”  
Edward put the thoughts into words for Emmett. “Your entire world shifts and she’s all that matters. You feel like you’d do anything to make her smile, and when she does, you feel like you’ve won the lottery. If your heart beat, every beat would be for her. She just becomes everything.”   
He turned to Jasper. “You’ll find her one day, and you’ll know.”  
Emmett nodded. “Yes! Exactly like that. Leaving her felt awful, even though I was so happy and couldn’t wait to tell you all about her. We barely talked, but I feel like I know her, you know? She knows what I am, and she’s not afraid of me. She agreed to come tonight, to talk. Will you meet her?”  
“Sure, but don’t you want to be alone?” Edward still wanted the entire world to vanish so he could have Bella all to himself.  
“I do, but…” Emmett turned to Bella. “Could you talk to her? I don’t know how she feels about becoming a vampire. I don’t know how she feels about any of it, really. I could tell she was affected by me, but she was working and said we’d talk more tonight.”  
“Of course I’ll talk to her, Emmett, but I can’t make her decide to change right away. I was looking for something different, and I wasn’t sure what until the moment I set eyes on Edward. I can’t imagine not becoming one with him, but everyone’s circumstances are different.” Her thoughts flashed to her mother, and Edward tightened his hold on her. “I’m sure she’s just as anxious to be with you as you are with her, though. Edward and I are completely in tune, and I imagine all mates are this way.”  
Edward didn’t challenge her words, although he felt that the two of them were more connected and united than most other vampire pairings. Still, a mate was a mate, and Edward was happy for his brother.  
“We look forward to meeting her tonight.” He took Bella’s hand and grinned as she laughed at the turn his thoughts immediately took. “And since tonight is still several hours away…”  
Jasper shook his head. “Disgusting. Just go. The sex vibes are enough to burn me alive.”  
Edward needed no further prompting and picked his amused mate up. “See you later, brothers.”


	10. Chapter 10

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 10  
“We need to talk to Jasper,” Bella told Edward as soon as they returned to their chambers.  
Edward nodded. “Yes, having Emmett find his mate so soon after I mated is very hard on him. I’d probably feel the same way if I was the only one left alone.” Just the thought of not having Bella in his life made him ill. He pulled her into his arms quickly and immediately felt right again.  
“I’m not going anywhere,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his throat.  
“I know.” He shook off the bad thoughts and focused on her. “Speaking of people we need to talk to…”  
She let out a groan. “Must we?”  
“Well, I think at the very least we should let Billy know, right? I don’t think he’ll be upset. As to your father, well, how much more upset could he get, really?”  
“I’ll call Billy.” She grabbed her phone and sat back on the bed. Edward lay beside her and pulled her body up against his. They both smiled when Billy answered.  
“Hi, Billy.”  
“Bella! How are you, sweetheart?”  
“I’m good.” She glanced at Edward and then at her ring. “Great, actually. Edward’s here. We’re calling with some news.”  
“Did you find your mother?”  
Bella winced at the little stab of pain she felt whenever she thought of Renee. Edward ran a comforting hand over her heart.  
“No, not that kind of news. The better kind.”  
“I asked Bella to marry me, and she said yes,” Edward told him, then kissed along Bella’s jaw. He couldn’t help it. Just the thought of her walking down the aisle and taking his name made him overcome with happiness and desire.  
“That’s great news! I’m happy for you both. Do you know when and where?”  
Bella felt a little pang again. Nobody from her family would see her get married. There was no way she’d risk Billy coming to Volterra. She knew that Charlie wouldn’t even consider it.   
“We’ll have a big ceremony in Italy to appease my family and then something smaller and private here for our real friends and family. I hope you’ll be able to attend the local one?” Edward smiled at the joy that filled his mate’s face at his words. He would never deprive her of anything. He’d marry her every day if that’s what she wanted.  
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”  
“Billy, if Charlie won’t…well, I mean, we know he won’t, so would you be willing to give me away?” Bella’s eyes shone with the tears she could no longer shed at the thought of her father being unwilling to walk her down the aisle. Edward stroked her cheek softly and mentally cursed Charlie Swan for turning his back on his daughter.  
Billy cleared his throat several times before he managed to speak. “I’d be completely delighted, Bella. Your father is a stubborn fool, and he doesn’t deserve the honor of walking, or in my case, wheeling you down the aisle.”  
As he’d intended, Billy’s choice of words made Bella laugh. “You best oil those things up. Can’t have them squeaking the whole way down the aisle.” They both laughed, and then the mirth died off her face. “Seriously, thank you, Billy.”  
“Anything for you, kiddo. Are you going to tell him, or do you want me to?”  
Bella glanced at Edward, who shrugged. It was entirely up to her. “I’ll try calling but he’s more than likely not going to answer.”  
“He’s at the station today, so if you called him there…”  
“He couldn’t avoid me,” Bella finished. “Thanks, I’ll do that.”  
“Remember, no matter what he says, I’m on your side.”  
She smiled shakily. “It means more to me than I can say.”  
Edward took the phone from her. “Billy, we’ll be in touch soon. Thank you for all you’re doing for us.”  
“It’s nothing at all, Edward. You’ve done more for me than I could ever have imagined. Take care of her.”  
“With my life.” He said goodbye and disconnected the phone. “You don’t have to call him if you don’t want to. I can, or we can just let Billy tell him.”  
Bella shook her head. “I can’t let Billy deal with his anger. He’s not the cause of it, I am.”  
“No, your mother and his prejudices are the cause, my love. You’ve done nothing but follow your heart. The fact that he doesn’t like where it’s led you is his problem, not yours.”  
Bella rather loved that sentiment, and she gave him a searing kiss. “I love you.”  
“I love you with everything I am and everything I ever will be.”  
They kissed again, and Edward’s hands started to wander, but Bella stopped him. “I don’t want to have this hanging over my head when we make love again. Let’s just get it done.”  
Bella dialed the Forks Police Station and smiled when Mrs. Cope answered. She was the dispatcher and secretary, more or less. “Hi, Mrs. Cope. It’s Bella. Is my father around?”  
The gasp on the end of the line startled her. “Bella? How can it be? But it sounds like you…”  
Bella shot a look of confusion at Edward. “What do you mean? Is my dad not around?”  
“No, dear, he is, but he said…I don’t understand.”  
Edward was beginning to. That bastard.  
Bella wrinkled her brow at him. “What did he say, Mrs. Cope? I don’t know what you’re getting at.”  
“Well, dear, he told everyone that you were dead. Is this a prank call? Is that what this is? Who is this? Marky Stein, is that you?”  
Bella tried to ignore the pain those simple words had caused and hurried to correct Mrs. Cope’s assumptions. Marky Stein was always causing trouble and playing pranks in the town. The cops had had to deal with him more than once.  
“No, Mrs. Cope, this is Bella. I’m afraid my father isn’t very happy with my life choices and declared me dead to him. Apparently I’m dead to all of Forks, as well.” The hurt in her words couldn’t be disguised.  
“Well, that’s just not right! I made him a casserole. He’s gotten a ton of flowers and condolences. We had a memorial, although he didn’t attend, which didn’t make a lot of sense to me at the time. What in the world?”  
The outrage in her voice made Bella feel a tiny bit better. If nothing else, her father was going to get an earful from an irate Mrs. Cope, and she had such a big mouth that the entire town would know that Bella wasn’t dead before the end of the day. At least Charlie would have to deal with their anger. It was something small, but something, at least.  
“I’ve become the thing he hates the most.” Bella knew she wouldn’t have to elaborate beyond that. The entire town knew Charlie’s stance on vampires.   
“Oh. I see. Well, that still doesn’t give him the right to make us all mourn and smother him with kindness! You just wait until I get my hands on him. I’m going to-”  
“Mrs. Cope, is he there?” Bella just wanted to get it over with.  
“Yes, dear. I’m sorry. I’ll put you through right away. I have some calls to make.” Even through the line, Edward and Bella could hear that the woman had her teeth clenched. She was right pissed. It made Edward smile.  
“Can you believe he did that?” Bella demanded as the call was forwarded.  
“Sadly, I can. I’m sorry, my love.”  
“Don’t be. I’m dead to him? Well, he’s dead to me.”  
“You could just hang up.”  
“No, I have something I want to say.”  
Her eyes were snapping with temper, and Edward wanted to bite her. She mouthed the word “later” as Charlie’s gruff voice announced his name.  
“Hello, Dad.”  
Silence filled the line for several beats. “What do you want? I thought I’d said all I had to say the last time I saw you.”  
“You said a whole lot of things, but none of the important ones. When were you going to tell me about Mom?”  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I told you about your mother nine years ago.”  
Her glare could have melted ice, Edward was sure of it. “No, you told me she didn’t love us and she’d left. You didn’t tell me she’d become a vampire.”  
“I told you what you needed to know. Should have known you’d follow in her footsteps, though. You’re just like her. Flighty and uncaring.”  
Bella winced as if she’d been slapped while Edward let out a long, low growl. Promises or not, Charlie Swan was on a very thin rope, and Edward was more than anxious to silence him forever.  
“She is neither of those things, and…”   
Bella held up a hand, silencing Edward. “Flighty? I followed the path you laid out for me for years until I decided on my own. Just because it wasn’t the one you wanted, it doesn’t mean I’m flighty. And if I was uncaring, I wouldn’t have made this phone call, even though I knew exactly how it was going to turn out.”  
“You became a vampire and didn’t even give me a second thought! That’s hardly caring.”  
“Did you ever stop to think, Dad, that if you had told me the truth about Mom, I might have spoken to you before I made my decision?” Edward looked taken aback, and Bella touched his cheek lightly. “I would have made the same choice because it’s right for me, but I would have at least tried to make you understand beforehand.”  
“So it’s my fault you’re a vampire? Of course it is! You and your mother love to blame everything on me.”  
“I’m not blaming my decision on you. I’m blaming your poor reaction to it, you telling the town that I died, on you. I knew you’d hate what I’d become, and yes, I did it anyway. I’d do it again. But if you’d been honest with me, if you’d told me about Mom and shared your feelings with me, I would have tried to do it differently at least. I wanted, very much, for you to be a part of my life, this new one I’ve begun with Edward. But you won’t even consider it.”  
“It’s not life. It’s death. I didn’t lie to them. Your heart doesn’t beat. As far as I’m concerned, you’re dead.”  
Bella closed her eyes and fought to remain calm. “That’s your choice, Dad. Maybe one day, you’ll realize that it didn’t have to be this way and you’ll be sorry for it. Since I’ll live forever, maybe it won’t be too late.”  
“I doubt it.” There was a pause. “How did you find out about your mother, anyway? Have you seen her?”  
Bella shook her head. “Do you really think I’m going to answer that? Aren’t I dead to you?” His double standards infuriated her. “It doesn’t matter how I found out, but no, I haven’t seen her. Why do you care?”  
“I don’t.” Liar. “She’s as dead to me as you are.”  
“Well then, I guess it doesn’t matter if and when I find her.”   
“The only thing that matters is that the two of you stay out of Forks. If you come here, I’ll find a way to kill you permanently.”  
Bella laughed harshly. “Good luck with that. And thank you. Those were the perfect words for you to say to let me know not to bother with you again. I can’t believe I never knew what a truly awful person you are, but I’m glad I see it now. I won’t miss you on my wedding day, or any day thereafter.”  
There was a brief pause on the line. Bella shook her head at the thoughts flying through Edward’s. He was really and truly ready to kill her father and having a fine time imagining all the ways he could do so.  
“I didn’t know the undead got married.”  
“We do everything you do; we just do it better. I’d like to show you exactly what I can do…” Edward growled into the phone.   
Charlie scoffed, but both of the mates could hear the hitch in his voice when he did so. “I’m not afraid of you.”  
“You should be. You should very much be afraid of me. I’d happily end you just for speaking to Bella the way you have, but because she does care, far too much, I won’t. For now. But if you come near her-hell, if you even have a bad thought about her in my presence-it’ll be the last thing you do. Am I clear?” Edward’s red eyes had a deadly glow to them, and the sneer on his face was beyond menacing. Every word he spoke dripped with the threat of excruciating death.  
Another long pause before Charlie cleared his throat. “Are you threatening a police officer? Because I could-”  
Edward cut him off with a sardonic laugh. “You could what? Throw me into your little prison? Do you honestly think it could hold me? Did you record this call? Because I’m pretty sure that anybody that heard the way you’ve spoken to your daughter would say the same things to you that I am. No, Charlie, I’m not threatening you. I’m promising you that we’re both done with you. You keep on thinking that Bella’s dead to you, and you stay the hell away from Seattle. Because if you come here again, all promises are null and void. Your life means less to me than that of a cockroach. Am I clear?”  
Edward had reached the end of his rope as far as Charlie Swan was concerned. He wouldn’t listen to him say another bad thing about Bella, and he never would again tolerate seeing the hurt on her face that her father had put there.   
“I’m not the one who called you,” Charlie pointed out. “I’ve been done since the instant she became your whore and let you sink your fangs into her.”  
The growl that erupted out of Edward shook the room. Bella quickly snatched the phone away from Edward before he could crush it in his rage.  
“That’s a mistake we won’t make again. Goodbye, Charlie.”   
She tossed the phone aside and quickly turned to her mate. “Edward, it’s okay.”  
“It’s not okay!” he roared. “He has to die. Nobody calls you a wh…that, and lives!”  
Bella stopped his frantic pacing and pulled him onto the bed. He sat, but the heat in his eyes and the tense way he held his body made it clear that Edward wasn’t going to be easy to calm down. She straddled his lap and took his face in her hands, staring into his eyes.  
“Hey, Edward, it’s okay. They’re just words. And they stopped meaning anything to me about halfway through that conversation. He’s as dead to me as I am to him. He’s not worth it.”  
“He has to die, Bella. He has to. I can’t stand that he’s alive right now, thinking those awful thoughts about you. It’s not right. I have to kill him.”  
“No, baby, you don’t.” She kissed him, and his arms came up to wrap about her, holding her to him almost too tightly. If she had to breathe, it would have been a problem. “Look at me.”  
Edward shook his head, but pulled back enough to stare into her eyes. His were wild with the need to kill.  
“He’s not a threat to us, Edward. Really, what can he do? Badmouth me? That’s already done. I’m not calling him ever again, and you put the fear of God into him, so I highly doubt he’d seek me out, not that he was going to anyway. I’m dead to him; he’s dead to us. Mrs. Cope will make sure everybody knows he lied, and he’ll have to try to hold his head up in town while they’re all judging him. It’s a punishment for him, believe me. He hates to be the center of attention.”  
“I want him to pay,” Edward growled, fighting the urge to remove her from his lap and run out to hunt down her asshole of a father.  
“He’s all alone in this world, Edward. His wife and his daughter have left him behind, and he has nothing else. Don’t you think that’s how he’ll pay? I’m sure he’ll think about us and it’ll hurt. That’s a more permanent pain than death, isn’t it?”  
Bella didn’t really know why it was so vital to her to spare her father. Perhaps it was some last vestiges of her humanity that lingered. She certainly didn’t love him anymore. Perhaps she loved the man he’d been before her mother left. There was a time when he’d played with her and loved her and called her his little princess. That all stopped after Renee left, and then he’d become cold and she’d been more of a duty than a daughter. The fact that he’d failed to keep her away from becoming the one thing he hated most meant that he failed. Charlie hated to fail. That alone would make him suffer more than anything else.  
Edward listened to Bella’s memories and thoughts on the matter and felt himself calming. He still thirsted for Charlie’s blood, but his promise to his mate was still lingering over them.  
“I won’t go to Forks and kill him. I promised, and I won’t. But if he comes here, after what I told him…”  
“I understand,” Bella told him. “He has no interest in me anymore, and he won’t come.”  
“So you agree that if he does, I can kill him?” The way he looked at her, with such boyish hope, made Bella laugh.   
“Only you could look like a sweet kid when asking to kill my father. I can’t deny that he’s been warned. So yes.”  
Edward’s slow, deadly smile did something to her stomach, had it flipping around in much better ways than the conversation with her father had.   
“But you can’t do anything to lure him to town, just so you can kill him. It’s only if he comes on his own for some insane reason.” She knew her mate, and if she gave him a loophole, he’d run with it.  
“You ruin all my fun,” Edward murmured as he pressed his lips to her throat.   
Her head fell back in surrender, and he licked and sucked as his hands slipped under her shirt.  
“I don’t think so, Edward. This is fun, and I’m not ruining it.” Before he could blink, she ripped his shirt off and pushed him down on the bed.  
“No, you’re certainly not.” Clothes flew, shredded from both their bodies with astonishing speed. “You were so sexy when you got mad at him and told him you were done with him.”  
Bella laughed as she aligned herself with him and lowered her body down to his. “I nearly came from the look on your face when you threatened him. You’re beyond hot when you’re so deadly.”  
He hissed as he slid inside her. “I’d kill anyone for you.”  
“I know. And I’m grateful.” She showed him how much as she began to move, her perfect body flexing and rolling and giving him unspeakable amounts of pleasure. “I love you.”  
“I love you,” he echoed, the last vestiges of his anger seeping away as he gave himself over to her. She was the only one who could drive every thirst for revenge right out of his head. As they came together, over and over, he whispered his love for her and pledged his life to her happiness. That was all that mattered.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Tissue warning? Maybe? I'm a sap, so...see me below.**

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 11

Edward had never seen his brother so excited, which was saying a lot because Emmett had always been loud and excitable. This time, he was quiet but practically vibrating with happiness and need. Edward tempered his amusement at the frown on Bella's face. She was watching Jasper, whose jealousy and unhappiness seemed to grow by the moment.

Edward excused himself and went and sat next to his unhappy brother. "It will happen for you one day, Jasper. You need to be patient."

"It's hard. I feel…I don't know. The love coming off you and Bella, and now Emmett…it's too much to bear."

 _Maybe you should send him away for a while?_ Bella wondered.

Edward was at a loss about what to do for his friend and brother. If he could make Jasper's mate appear, he would, but unfortunately, that was one of the few things out of Edward's control.

"You know why you're feeling it so strongly, don't you?" Edward asked, making Jasper's frown only deepen.

"I don't want to hear that bullshit right now, Edward. El is wrong."

Eleazar, another member of their family, swore up and down that Jasper had a gift for feelings and that if he would focus on it, he'd be able to eventually learn to manipulate and control the feelings of others. Eleazar's gift was being able to recognize that of others, and he'd yet to be wrong. His gift was pivotal in the rise of the Volturi and instrumental in the creation of many gifted and powerful vampires.

"If he's wrong, why are you so bothered by Emmett meeting his mate? And me finding mine? I'll admit, if the tables were turned I'd feel a little lonely, but I wouldn't be wallowing in self-pity and jealousy like you seem to be."

"Don't be so sure of that," Jasper muttered, making Edward scowl. "You'd hear all the thoughts, even if you didn't feel it the way I do. It would annoy the shit out of you."

Edward had to admit that was probably true. "Maybe you need to get out of here for a while."

"I can't leave. Maria…" He rolled his eyes. Edward toyed with volunteering to help his brother, but he really didn't want to have to deal with watching over Maria.

"What if we ask El to stop by? Maybe he can help you learn to control it."

Jasper looked across the room to where a glowing Emmett was talking animatedly with Bella. He didn't want to leave his brothers or their mates. A part of him, deep down inside, was happy that they were happy. It was just that the more prevalent part was lonely, angry, and jealous.

"Yeah, call him."

"Do you want to go?"

"No, I can play nice for the night. And I am curious as to who the big lug fell for. Never thought I'd see the day that he'd fall in love." And that was a big part of it. Jasper had always had Emmett as a partner in crime. Edward was way more selective when it came to hooking up with females, but Emmett had always worked in tandem with Jasper. It was hard to accept that he was on his own now.

Emmett's head whipped up and his nostrils flared. "She's here!" And he was down the stairs without another word.

Bella and his brothers waited patiently until he reappeared, holding the hand of a beautiful blonde woman in a tight red dress that showed off her body to perfection. She was stunning, and they could all see why Emmett was so entranced with her. She was lovelier than most female vampires.

When Edward had that thought, Bella shot him a look, which made him shake his head.

_Nobody is as beautiful as you are, my love. You put every vampire, human, and whatever other female you can think of to shame._

_Nice save, Edward. Very nice._

_I do my best, my beauty._

"Rose, these are my brothers, Edward and Jasper, and that's Edward's fiancé, Bella. Guys, this is my Rosalie."

They could all see the nerves written plainly on her face, and Edward stood and approached slowly. "Welcome to Venom, Rosalie. We're so happy that Emmett has met you."

She gave him a hesitant smile. "Thank you. It's an impressive club." She glanced around, taking in the rich décor. "I'm really not sure what I'm doing here."

"You're here to be with me, Rosie," Emmett told her proudly.

She arched an eyebrow at that but didn't say anything, taking the seat he offered her next to Bella. With one last glance at Jasper, Edward went over to sit next to his mate. He didn't like being across the room from her. Jasper sighed but joined them at the table Emmett had chosen.

"Emmett hasn't told us very much about you," Edward said. And he wasn't very likely to, judging from the way he was staring at Rosalie with a moony look on his face. "What is it you do, Rosalie?"

She glanced around warily. "Well, I work at Dade Electronics. Um, that's where we met. I'm twenty-three. I like anything mechanical, be it TVs or cars or whatever."

Emmett positively beamed at that news. He loved anything to do with cars. It was clear to him that Rosalie was perfect for him. He slid his arm around her, and she jumped at the contact.

"Um! Well, that's about it, I guess?"

"I'm sorry…do we make you nervous?" Edward asked. Emmett hadn't mentioned anything about her being terrified of vampires. That was a bit of an issue.

"Well, sort of. I don't really know why I'm here. I mean, Emmett and I talked, and then he pretty much demanded that I come by tonight, and for some reason, I agreed even though I had plans and, what's happening?"

_Perhaps you should help her out, love. She might take it better from you, since Emmett clearly hasn't explained mating to her._

Bella took the conversational ball that Edward mentally passed her. "Rose…may I call you Rose?" At the nod, Bella continued. "What do you know about vampires?"

"Just, you know, what they've said on TV. I've never been to one of these clubs or anything. Oh, God, did you invite me here to eat me?"

"That's one way of putting it," Jasper muttered, earning a glare from both of his brothers. "What?"

Rose's heart beat began to stutter as she hurried to her feet. "I don't want that! I have to go! You can't bite me unless I say so. It's the law!"

"Nobody's going to bite you," Bella assured her, taking her arm gently and guiding her back into her seat. "I promise, nobody here would ever hurt you. It's not possible for us to do so, because of what you mean to Emmett."

"What do you mean, what I mean to Emmett? What's going on?"

 _This is going wonderfully,_ Bella thought sourly to Edward.

 _I guess it can't always go as easily as it did for me with you,_ he thought with a grin.

_Are you calling me easy, Mr. Cullen?_

_Only for me, Miss Swan._

_You'll pay for that later._

Edward grinned wolfishly. _I look forward to that, my love._

"Cut the shit. You're scaring the crap out of the poor girl," Jasper told them. "You're Emmett's mate, blondie. That means he loves you and we couldn't hurt you because it would basically kill him. Or he'd kill us. Whichever happened first. So stop freaking out."

"He loves me? What? He doesn't even know me! I have to go."

"Rosie, baby…"

"Don't you _baby_ me! Why didn't you tell me any of this before I came here and got ambushed by your weird family? What's with those two, anyway? Why do they seem to be talking to one another without saying a word?"

Jasper laughed. _She's feisty as hell. Worse than Maria. Emmett's in for it, for eternity. This may be fun to watch after all._

"Sorry," Bella apologized quietly, glaring at all the males in the room. They hadn't handled things well at all, and it apparently fell to her to fix it. "Rose, one of the things that we weren't taught about vampires is that they mate for life. When they find the right person, they just know, and that's the end for them. They'll never want another person, or vampire, ever again. We humans don't feel it quite the same way, but we do feel the draw, the need to be with that vampire. I'm assuming you felt something for Emmett?"

Rose looked uncomfortable, but she nodded. "I felt attracted to him, sure. And I came here even though I didn't really want to. And I haven't run away, even though you're all kind of psycho."

Bella laughed lightly. "I walked into this club as a human around a month ago. Edward appeared before me, and I was struck dumb at the sight of him. Everything about him drew me in, and I knew I had to be with him forever." Edward raised her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. "I signed the pledge that very night and became a vampire without a second thought."

Rose's dark blue eyes got very wide at Bella's words. "You…is that why I'm here? You want to turn me into a vampire?"

Emmett took her hand. "Of course I do, Rosie. I want you to be mine forever. Don't you want that?"

She shook her head and tried to tug her hand out of Emmett's grip, but that was impossible until he felt like letting go. "I didn't come here for that. I came to see you, to see what this was."

"Nobody said you had to turn today, Rosie. I mean, I'd love for you to, but we can wait until you're ready. I just want you to be with me. We can get to know one another and take our time. I don't expect you to be as impetuous as Bella."

"Hey!" Bella protested, laughing. "I knew what I wanted, and I took it. I don't regret it." Her eyes met Edward's. "I don't regret anything."

"Well that's all la-di-da and good for you," Rose said acidly, "but I'm not interested in becoming a vampire. Not now, not ever."

It occurred to Edward that none of them had ever even considered the possibility of Rose not wanting to be one of them. What if Bella hadn't wanted to become a vampire? What would he have done? One look at her face, and he knew he would have badgered her to become like him until the end of time. He'd have made it his life's mission.

"Why not, Rosie?"

"My name is not Rosie, Emmett. It's Rosalie or Rose. And there are plenty of reasons why not. The first being that I'm not letting some mystic mate nonsense dictate my life!"

"Is it any wonder I'm crazy about you?" Emmett asked, blown away by the way her cheeks colored with temper, the way her eyes snapped at him. She didn't have an ounce of fear over facing down an abnormally large vampire, nor his well-meaning, meddling family.

"Stop that!" She slapped his arm and bit back a yell when her hand struck that hard muscle. "Ow! Damn you!"

"I'm sorry, Rose." He pressed a kiss to her hand and made her eyes flutter, which caused him to grin. "You can hit me all you want when you're one of us, but for now, you'd better refrain. I don't want anything to happen to your lovely and talented hands."

"Ugh! Just stop it!" She pulled her hand away. "I'm not going to be one of you. You just get that thought out of your head right now."

"Why not? We're strong. We live forever. We're rich. Beautiful. Powerful. What more could you possibly want?"

Edward and Bella heard the answer in her head before she gave it, and they both gasped.

Rose stood, and Emmett stood with her. "I'll give you anything, Rose. Just be with me."

"I want children, Emmett. Babies. That's what I've always wanted, and I know damn well you can't give me that."

Silence met her declaration, and Jasper, Edward, and Bella looked at one another helplessly. They didn't want to be there for this very personal conversation, and they could all feel that this was a topic Rosalie wasn't going to budge on.

Edward cleared his throat. "Maybe we should…"

"Don't go," Rose told them, staring up at the thunderstruck Emmett. "I'm not going to be here for much longer, and he probably needs someone to talk to after I leave."

Her face softened, and she lifted a hand to touch his cheek. Emmett leaned into her caress, closing his eyes, but was unable to hide the devastation that her words had caused him. She truly did want the one thing that he couldn't give her, and he hated himself in that moment for failing her.

"All my life, I've wanted to be a wife and a mother, Emmett. You talk of eternity and power and endless beauty, and that's all great, but that's nothing I aspire to. I'm a simple woman with simple wants and needs. I feel the connection you're talking about. I do. And a part of me is dying on the inside right now because I know I'm hurting you, and I hate doing that. Everything in me rebels at the thought-everything except that part of me that wants to be a mother."

"We could, I dunno, I mean, you could stay human, and there's artificial insemination, right? You could have a baby, and then…"

"And then I could become a vampire and watch my baby grow up and grow old and die? Or do I turn them once they get married and have children? That's not what I want, Emmett. I want several children. I want to be able to hold them without fear that my strength will kill them. I want to fix scraped knees without wanting to suck them dry, and I want to hold them against me and let them hear my heart beat, to comfort them when they're sad. I can't do any of that if I become a vampire."

It took all of Jasper's will not to collapse from the pain that was rolling off his brother and Rosalie in waves. Edward and Bella were both mired in a whirlwind of thoughts as Emmett sought for an answer that would make Rose be with him. Bella rubbed at her chest, which hurt for her brother.

"What if you stay human and you do all that, and I just wait for you, until you're really old and sick? Then maybe…"

"Then maybe you let me die, like I'm meant to. Emmett, I have nothing against your kind. I don't consider you an abomination like some. I even admit to some curiosity about your lives and your strength and abilities. But I don't want it enough to give up everything I've ever dreamed of to have it. To have you. I think you're incredible, and I'm probably an idiot to give you up, to not even try, but I know that if I let you in, I'll give in. And then, some part of me will hate you for taking away what I always wanted. And I don't want to hate you. The thought of that makes me sick." She glanced around, her eyes wild. "All of this makes me sick. I have to go."

"But Rose…" He was ready to get down on his knees and beg if he had to. He felt as if a part of him was already missing, even though she hadn't yet walked away. He couldn't let her go. He wouldn't.

"I'm engaged, Emmett." He winced as if he'd been slapped. "I have a fiancée who wants exactly what I want. I love him."

"You can't." No. The word kept echoing in his head over and over. It wasn't possible.

"I do. Maybe it's not the same as whatever this is"-she gestured between them-"but he makes me happy and he'll give me what I want."

"You can't. It's not possible." Emmett didn't know how to argue with her, to convince her that their mate bond was the strongest bond on earth. That's what he'd always been told, and he felt it. Why couldn't she? He looked to his siblings for help, but they were frozen just like he was. Not one of them knew what to do.

"I'm sorry, Emmett. I have to go."

"Please, Rose, don't you feel it? You're going to destroy us both if you walk away," he pleaded, because he didn't know how he could possibly live if she walked out the door. The pain that was flooding his body would surely overtake him, and he'd wither away and die.

"No, Emmett, I'll destroy us both if I stay. I don't want to hate you. Just let me go."

"I can't." He was pretty sure his heart was breaking in half inside his body. Who knew he could feel that from the long-dormant organ?

"If you love me, if I'm really your mate, then you'll love me enough to let me go."

And with those words, Emmett released hold of her arm. Because she _was_ his mate and he _would_ do anything for her, even if it was to suffer eternally without her.

Rose picked up her bag and moved away from the unmoving vampires as quickly as her feet would carry her. When she reached the stairs, she turned and took one final look at Emmett. "I'm sorry." She didn't look back as she ran down the stairs.

Bella moved first, wrapping her arms around Emmett as his legs seemingly gave out and he collapsed to the floor. He sobbed soundlessly, his big body shaking as she held on for dear life. Her pain-filled eyes met Edward's, and he hurried over to wrap his arms around Bella and Emmett. For his part, Jasper was overcome with the emotions that Emmett was feeling, and his entire body shook with the effort it took to get to his feet and go to his brother. He echoed Rose's last words, overcome with sorrow for his earlier jealousy. He'd rather be alone for the rest of his life than to feel the way his brother did right now.

Nobody knew how much time went by, but the club emptied and closed before any of them moved. Emmett's thoughts were filled with hurt and pain. Edward's, Bella's, and Jasper's hearts all bled for him.

Eventually, Jasper took a deep breath and dug deep inside himself, to the part where all the pain was centered. He remembered what Eleazar had told him, and he focused on that point and pushed it out of the way, trying to find some happiness. He thought of the happiness that Edward and Bella had given off since the moment they met, and he brought that out of them, using his mind to send that feeling outward.

It took a while and his head hurt from the effort he'd put forth, but eventually, some of the pain receded.

Emmett sat up and looked at him blankly. "What did you do? I can feel something coming from you, and it doesn't feel as bad."

"He used his talent to take some of your pain away." Edward put a grateful hand on Jasper's shoulder. "It's taking all of his concentration to help you."

Emmett shook his head. "I need to feel it. I need-"

"You need some time, Emmett. I know, better than anyone, what you've lost." Edward looked at Bella, the love for her overwhelming. If she'd walked away, he'd have been even more useless than Emmett was. He wanted to give his brother platitudes, to tell him that maybe Rose would change her mind, but he and Bella both knew that she wouldn't. They'd seen inside that strong mind of hers, and it was made up.

"And I know what you're thinking," he reminded his brother gently. Emmett thought of stalking Rose, finding her fiancée, and killing him. "That won't change her mind, and she'll hate you then. That would be worse, I think."

"What do I do?" he asked quietly, the fight leaving him as he slumped over again.

Jasper grabbed his bicep and sent another wave of happiness at his brother.

"You live. You go on, and we'll help you. Marcus has gone on without his mate for centuries."

"Great…I can be like Marcus, the morose motherfucker," Emmett spat sarcastically, shaking his head.

Marcus was indeed a very depressing individual. Edward couldn't see his brother turning into that, but who knew.

"Marcus didn't have us," Bella told Emmett, brushing her fingers through his hair. "We may not be your mate, but we love you, and you're stuck with us, forever."

Emmett worked up a smile for her. "You don't know how lucky you are, brother."

Edward did, but he didn't need to rub it in. "Maybe you and Jasper should take off for a bit. Run up to Alaska. Meet with El. Clear your heads."

 _Get his rocks off with Tanya or Irina,_ Jasper thought. Maybe if he got him laid…

Edward shook his head. That wasn't something Emmett needed right now.

"I think it's a good idea." Emmett slowly got to his feet. "I'm sorry you had to see that, but I don't know if I could have born it without you."

"You always have us, Emmett. Call me if you need anything."

"I got him," Jasper promised. The more he practiced, the easier it was to send Emmett the help he needed. Maybe Eleazar could help him help his brother even more.

Emmett hugged Bella tightly, thanking her for her support, before doing the same to Edward. "We'll be back, hopefully before…" He broke off, unable to talk about their impending nuptials.

"Don't even think about it. We'll wait for you, if that's what you want, and if not, we'll understand." Even though it interfered with Edward's plans, he didn't care in that moment. If he had to wait to take care of Aro, he would. Emmett was all that mattered right now.

"We'll see you soon," Jasper promised, leading the giant vampire away like a parent guiding an unsteady child.

Bella and Edward waited several minutes after they left to speak.

"That was the worst thing I've ever seen," Bella whispered. Edward wrapped Bella in his arms as she sobbed quietly. "I should have tried harder to convince her that being mated was the best thing she'd ever feel. Maybe if I'd-"

"Shhh, love. You heard her thoughts. It wouldn't have mattered what you or Emmett said. She wants to be a mother more than anything."

His mate flinched at those words. "You see? I don't understand that. And I feel selfish for even thinking about myself right now, but how can she love her unborn children more than my mother loved me? She met her mate and walked away without a second thought, but Rose gave up hers for children she doesn't even have. How is it possible?"

Edward tightened his grip on Bella. "I don't know, my beauty, but I promise that we'll get your answers soon." He was going to text Demetri shortly. He had to know something by now.

"Come. Let's go to bed. I want to hold you for a while." Everything in him screamed to be one with his mate. Watching Emmett lose his made him desperate to reclaim his own.

Bella heard his desperation and kissed him softly. "I need you, too. I'm not going anywhere. Never."

Her words assured him, and shortly after, when he joined with her, he felt right again.

**A/N Alright, you all know how I feel about the big guy and that was one of the hardest things I've written. I hate hurting my Em, but since I've expanded this story from the original one/shot, the theme of mating has been something that I've wanted to explore. And we all know that in canon, Rose made it pretty clear that if she'd had the choice to live as human or be a vamp, she'd have chosen the former. Here, I gave her the choice she didn't have in the originals. It contrasts with what Bella and Renee chose, and raises the question that Bella asked above. If Rose can walk away from her mate for children that don't even exist yet, why didn't Renee? One of the many things we're waiting to find out I know! Answers to come!**

**Thanks for all the love you're giving my daily updates! I usually don't have the patience to write out a whole story but it's definitely fun doing it this way. See you tomorrow with more!**


	12. Chapter 12

**pter! I'm glad so many of you understood it, even as your heart bled for Emmett. Let's find out more about how our Edward came to be, shall we?**

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 12

It was strange for Edward to be without both of his brothers. They'd been together for nearly as far back as he could remember. Jasper had been taken within a couple months of Edward, Emmett shortly thereafter. Other boys came and went over the years, but Edward had never bonded with them nearly as closely as he had the first two. At first, they'd come together out of fear of the unknown, and then as they grew older, it was fear of the known.

"Penny for your thoughts?" his mate asked, making him smile.

"Is that all they're worth to you?"

"Well, yeah, since I actually get them for free…" She broke off as he tackled her onto the bed.

They'd left the club behind for the weekend, going to a private cabin that Edward kept just across the Canadian border. He'd left the club in Felix's able hands, citing the need to feed and spend time with his soon-to-be bride, which was just one of the reasons they'd taken some time away.

"You may get them for free, but they're worth millions!" he told her, making her giggle as he nuzzled at her throat.

"Says you!" He sent her a particularly inventive thought that involved a lot less clothes and a lot more moaning, and she stopped laughing. "Okay, maybe that one is worth a little more…"

She shrieked as he tickled her, and then clothes were gone and bodies were joined, and he gave her the reality instead of just the image.

When they were spent, she sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "We needed this."

They had. The week since Emmett and Jasper had left had been hectic. Edward always knew he relied on the two of them for a lot, but he hadn't thought it was quite that much until he'd been forced to pick up their slack. Plus, he'd had to call Aro and tell him that the wedding was going to be delayed a bit, news that had been met with annoyance on Aro's part and relief on Sulpicia's, because she had more time to plan the ridiculous extravaganza she had in mind for her favored son's nuptials. And both of the mates worried over Emmett and his state of mind. Jasper had let them know they'd arrived in Alaska, but that had been all in the form of communication thus far.

"I always need you," he told her, kissing her softly.

"And I you. But for now…" She broke off, not wanting to be too anxious, but she couldn't help herself. Ever since Rosalie had walked away from Emmett, her need to be a mother greater than her need to be with her mate, Bella had been unable to stop thinking about her own mother and how she could have chosen the opposite. Edward had finally received a text from Demetri, and rather than reach out to him from the club and risk word getting back to Aro, the pair had decided to get away.

"Yes, my love." Edward retrieved his phone. The _Call Me_ message had come in a few hours ago. He hoped his brother was able to talk.

"Demi," he said when the familiar voice answered the line.

"Edward, thank you for getting back to me. I'm close to home and can't put off going there for much longer."

Edward tensed at his words, and Bella followed suit. "What do you mean, home? Did you find her or not?"

"Well, that's the thing…"

"You promised!" Edward interrupted, his voice snapping over the line. His brother's other promise echoed in his mind, along with a fear that perhaps Demetri had decided on a different path.

"Edward, brother, listen! I'm headed home because that's where she is."

Edward's thoughts stilled abruptly at those words.

"Home? As in Volterra, home?" It wasn't possible, was it?

"Maybe. Probably. Every fiber in my being is telling me she's in Italy. It's possible that she's in Rome, but…the pull for Volterra is strong. I think she's there."

Edward looked into his Bella's wide eyes for several moments. "Well, I guess follow it. And contact me when you can. Text if you can't speak, but find her."

"I will. I'm sorry it's taken me so long. Father had several other errands for me to attend to, and I kept thinking the pull toward home was just the need for something familiar."

"I understand." Edward stroked Bella's soft cheek. "I'm sorry I jumped all over you. I was afraid…"

"Nothing has changed."

Edward sighed. "Some things have. Not the plan, but I'm not sure on the timing. We're to be wed, soon, and I'm hoping to take advantage of that, but some circumstances have arisen that make me hesitant."

"We have all the time in the world, brother."

Edward laughed roughly. "That we do. I know I don't need to remind you…"

"To watch my thoughts around Father. No, I think I've got that covered after all this time. Anything else you need me to do?"

"Get close to Chelsea."

"How close?"

Edward laughed at the lascivious tone Demetri's voice had taken on. "As close as you want to, my friend. But not so close that you forget where your loyalties lie."

"Don't doubt my abilities, brother. Maybe I can sway her on my own."

Edward shook his head. "I wouldn't dare to doubt you, Demi. Other than that, keep your eyes and ears open, look for potential allies. I have some in mind, but you're there to see if anyone is dissatisfied or ready for change."

"Count on it. I'll be in touch."

They disconnected after saying their goodbyes, and Edward turned to Bella. Her thoughts were loud, but she remained silent.

"What would you like to know, my love?"

"If she's in Volterra, what does that mean?"

Edward sighed and pulled her into his arms. "It could mean anything. Perhaps she and her mate wanted to visit our, well, capitol for lack of a better word. They could just be passing through. Or…"

"Or they're part of it, part of Aro's guard."

"Maybe. I wish Charlie had told Billy who she was with. That would help, but it doesn't matter. We'll find her, and we'll deal with it." He hated how sad she was over her mother's desertion. He hoped, with every fiber of his being, that there was some unexplained reason for it, other than that her mother just didn't care that much. That was unacceptable, in Edward's eyes.

She smiled and brushed his hair away from his forehead. "Not everybody can love me as much as you do."

"They should," he growled, his arms tightening around her possessively.

"As if you could stand that. You'd kill anybody who tried to rival your affections for me."

He chuckled. She knew him well. "Yes, but I'd appreciate that they had good taste, even as I ended them."

Bella laughed with him, but then it faded and she met his eyes. "I love the way you love me."

"Completely," he told her, kissing her gently.

They held each other in silence for a while, lost in their mixed thoughts.

"Will you tell me about your life in Volterra?"

He'd known that question was coming, and she'd been patient with him not really being ready to talk about it. But now was the time.

"I'm not sure how old I was when they took me. Six? Seven? Eight? Something like that. Old enough to remember some of my life before they took me, but too young to do anything about it." Bella's fingers linked with his, and he was immediately soothed by her touch.

"We were visiting from London. My father was a doctor, and my mother was a house wife, and we went on a family holiday to Italy." He frowned at the memory. "Our train stopped in Volterra, and there was some kind of street fair happening. I begged my parents to take me. We had time and I was sick of being cooped up, so they took me. It was a cloudy day, and there were all these people in masks and bright colors, and I was captivated."

She heard the guilt in his words, in the swirl of his thoughts. "It wasn't your fault."

"If I hadn't wanted to stop…"

"You were a young boy, Edward. Of course you wanted to go to the fair. What kid wouldn't? You could hardly know what was going to happen."

"Maybe." He'd harbored guilt over it for a century. She wasn't going to be able to convince him to let it go with just a few words. "I don't even know what happened next. One second, I was holding my mother's hand while my father got us food from a vendor, and the next, I was in the dark, moving faster than was humanly possible, something holding on to me tight."

Edward closed his eyes, seeing it as if it was yesterday, letting Bella see through his memories. "When I could see again, I was in a room that looked like a museum. There was art, priceless art, all over the walls, real gold statues, and beautiful architecture. Of course, that didn't really register at the time. What did was the woman."

He showed her Sulpicia, her pale skin, auburn hair, stunning face, and deep red eyes. "Even though I was young, I knew eyes weren't meant to be that color. Plus, there was something wrong behind them. I didn't know at the time that she was damaged, a little crazy. I just knew that I was scared."

Then he stopped talking and took her back into his memories.

" _Sulpicia, what have you done?"_

" _He's mine. He was meant to be mine."_

 _The dark figure, the man talking, came into view, peering at the scared little boy. Like the female, he had red eyes, but his were scarier._ _And his tone had young Edward even more frightened._

" _You know the rules."_

" _So we don't change him now. We raise him. He's mine. My son. Look at him, Aro. He looks just like Gianni did."_

_Her voice broke on the name, and the male put his arms around her._

" _He's not Gianni, my love. He's gone. This boy isn't ours…"_

" _He's mine now!" she shrieked, pushing him away from her and grabbing the boy. He was too frightened to make a sound, but tears spilled over his cheeks._

" _Don't cry, my baby," the woman crooned, stroking his hair. She smelled very good, and her words of comfort had him holding on to her. "You're mine now. I'll take care of you. Mama is here."_

" _Mama?" he asked, raising his head and looking for his mother._ _"Where's my mommy?"_

" _I'm your mommy now, baby. Your mommy had to go away, but she wants me to look after you. I'm going to raise you just like you were my own baby."_

" _Sulpicia…"_

" _No, Aro! You won't take this away from me, too. He's mine. He's meant to be mine, and you'll let me have him, or I'll walk out this door right now and show the people…"_

" _You dare threaten me?"_

_Young Edward burrowed further into the lady's neck at the scary words that came from the man._

" _Yes, I dare! You took everything from me when you made me this way. You will let me have this child, Aro! He will be ours, and one day when he's grown, we'll change him, and he'll stay with us forever. Gianni didn't, and that was your fault! Your fault! You will not take my baby. My…what is your name, sweet boy?"_

 _He didn't raise his head, wanting to hide away from the scary eyes and voices._ _"Edward."_

" _There, there, my Edward. I know you're frightened. But it's all going to be okay now. You're going to have everything you could ever want. Mama and Papa will give you toys, and we'll get you a pony. Would you like that, Edward?"_

 _He raised his eyes, then, looking at the woman who held on to him so tightly._ _"Mommy? Daddy?"_

" _Oh, baby, they had to go away. But they wanted me to look after you. And I will. You're going to be the most loved boy who ever existed, do you know that?" Her eyes were still wild, but her words were soft, as was the hand she ran through his hair._

" _His parents will look for him."_

" _No, they won't."_

" _What did you do?"_

" _I did what I had to do! I did what you wouldn't! I saved my baby. He's mine!"_

Edward shook his head and took them both out of the memory. "They argued for a while, but she'd already taken me, and he gave in, as one is apt to do when their mate desires something." He managed a smile. "I didn't know then if she killed them when she took me or if they were alive, searching." He continued before she could ask. "She broke my mother's neck when she took me. My father was alive and died a few years later back in London, alone. Marcus found out for me."

Her heart broke for him and for his family. "And Gianni?"

"Was their son, when they were human. He died when he was three. He drowned in a lake before they could get to him. She, apparently, was never the same after that. Aro got turned a year later, and he turned her, as well. I looked enough like him that it triggered something in her, and she took me without a thought to the laws or fear of discovery. After Aro accepted me, she took others. Always boys. Jasper, then Emmett, then Demetri and Felix and James…on and on.

"We lived pretty normally, albeit locked away from the real world. We were taught by some of the brightest vampire minds that existed. We got to play outside within the castle walls. We had horses and ponies and whatever else we wanted, except for our real families of course. After a while, their eyes weren't so scary and our memories faded and they became our real families. But I never forgot."

His sad eyes met hers. "As I got older, I swore to myself that I'd find out what happened to my parents. Eventually, I got Marcus to tell me. He was always a soft touch. She murdered my mother, which was bad enough. But my father…he was alone, and he never got over losing us. He looked for me for a long time before he returned home. I can't say for sure, of course, but I'm sure he died of loneliness."

Bella pulled his head to her shoulder, rubbing his back gently. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

He held on to her for all he was worth. "As time went on, Aro started to look at us as more than just his wife's children. He saw potential, and he brought in Eleazar. You know about his gift already. He pointed out those of us who showed some sign of a talent. We were the ones who made it through the transition. Others…well, he had them killed. Sulpicia didn't know it, of course, but I did."

"She didn't care? They were her children, right?"

"She cared, but…" He squirmed uncomfortably. "I stayed her main focus for most of those years. My resemblance to her lost son…she definitely loved me best. And if she started to question Aro, or get upset over an 'accident', he'd steer her back to me."

He shuddered at the next thing he had to share. "Other than Jasper and Emmett, I was closest to a boy who came a few years after I did. His name was Benjamin. He was delicate, very thin and not very strong, and some of the others picked on him. I stood up for him, and because I was the favorite, they backed off. Benjamin became like my shadow, and I did what I could to help him out, but he missed his parents and cried a lot."

Bella's stomach fluttered, knowing that Benjamin must have come to a bad end, because Edward would have likely had him in Seattle with them if he'd been alive today.

"Yes," he said, answering her unasked question. "One day, I overheard Aro requesting that Benjamin be brought to his offices. We were strictly forbidden to go there, and I felt funny about it, so I followed along. They had to know I was there. My scent-my beating heart-but they pretended not to. Aro took him into his office and told him that he wasn't showing enough progress to continue with 'the program,' whatever that was. Benjamin cried and promised to do better, but Aro picked him up and snapped his neck." Edward flinched at the memory of that sound.

Bella let out a little cry at the image she got of the broken blond boy.

"Aro looked right at me, where I stood in the doorway. I couldn't move. He just smiled and told me that one day, I'd understand, and then he drained Ben's broken body right in front of me." His tortured gaze met hers. "It was that moment, right there, that I decided that one day, I'd kill him. I didn't know how. I certainly didn't know that I was fated to be turned into a vampire as well; I just knew that I had to end him."

She climbed into Edward's lap, wrapping her body around his, getting as close as she possibly could. Her heart wept for that frightened little boy who'd been taken from all he knew and thrust into a nightmare. He'd come out of it strong, smart, and deadly, and she loved him all the more for the fact that he hadn't lost his humanity. He still loved his lost parents and that poor, broken boy.

"It was my fault, you know."

She pulled back, looking into his tortured face. "What was?"

"Aro saw the potential in me, what I could be, when I was young. That's why he let her take more boys, why he let us be raised. He wanted the strongest, the best of us, to be part of his guard. If I hadn't come along, none of the others-"

She silenced him with a kiss. "None of it was your fault, Edward. You were just you. She put everything in motion by taking you from your family, and he took his broken wife's twisted love and turned it into something even more twisted. But he couldn't break you, or your brothers. You're a miracle. My miracle."

He choked up at her words, crushing her to him. "You're mine."

"There's only one thing you got wrong, Edward."

He moved back to look at her beautiful face, raising a brow at the smile he found there. "What is that?"

"You said you had to end him. You misspoke." She kissed him again. _"We_ have to end him."


	13. Chapter 13

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 13

"I really don't like her."

Edward stifled a chuckle at his mate's irritated comment as they left Jasper's house. He'd assigned one of his men to keep an eye on Maria, but he and Bella had stopped by a few times to see how things were going with her.

"She doesn't quite have the humanity that you do, love. She never did. I tried to warn him." Edward shook his head, remembering when she'd walked into Venom. "He didn't see beyond the outside."

Bella laughed. "Well, she _is_ gorgeous. There's no denying that."

He shrugged. "She's all right. I never could get past her attitude."

"Well, aren't I lucky that my man is a mind reader?" she asked lightly, giggling when he swept her into his arms and nipped at her neck. She protested as he pushed open the door to the club. "Hey! We're not married yet. You shouldn't be carrying me over the threshold."

"Only a formality, my love. I've already pledged to be yours forever." His lips met hers as he ushered them inside.

They both sighed as familiar smells assaulted them. "Can't you still smell them?" she asked. "It's almost like they're here."

"I told you they'd still be as nauseating as ever," a welcome voice sniped, though Edward and Bella could hear laughter in the tone. They both looked up and saw Jasper and Emmett watching them from above.

"Emmett! Jasper!" Bella hopped down and was immediately engulfed in four strong arms. "You're back!"

She pulled back and looked up at Emmett, who was smiling, albeit more subdued than usual. "Are you okay?"

"I'm getting there. At least I know that my mate exists, and I'm going to make sure that she stays happy. If that's all I can do, that's more than some get, right?"

Edward clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder. "That's a great way to look at it. You're a stronger man than any of us."

"Jasper and El helped. The girls did, too. Hell, they've lived a few more centuries than I have without even finding their mates. At least I have more than they do."

"Damn right. It could be worse. You could still be stuck with Jane." Jasper turned to Edward. "I should kick your ass for talking about Maria like that, but since I feel the same way, I'll let it pass."

"One more month," Edward reminded him.

"Nope, it's twenty-six days, thirteen hours, and fifty-three minutes," Jasper clarified, making them all laugh.

"Not that you're counting or anything." Bella kissed his cheek. "We missed you both."

"Ha! As if you two noticed we were gone. We figured you stayed in the bedroom the whole time," Emmett joked, making them all feel a bit lighter. He wasn't as boisterous as he'd been, but he was still Emmett.

"Only part of it," Edward told them. "It turns out that you two idiots actually had responsibilities around here. Who knew? I was required to work." The tone of disgust he worked up had them all laughing again.

"Poor Princess Edward! Had to get his hands dirty and do more than stand around being beautiful and scary? However could you stand it?" Emmett smacked Edward's back, sending him lurching forward.

Edward's eyes moved over to Bella, and a slow smile spread across his face. "I found a way."

"Ugh," Jasper groaned. "If my wrist breaks from overuse due to your lust, you're going to have to take over my work permanently."

"Not a chance, brother." Edward watched him closely. "How did it go with El? Did you learn anything?"

"Yeah. He taught me how to control it easier, how to suppress it when I want to. I'm not perfect, yet, but I've got a handle on it."

"It's pretty cool! We ran across this sorority house on our way home-" Emmett grinned wolfishly"-and Jasper made them all completely horny. They were making out and touching and taking clothes off. It was a porno come to life!"

Edward shot Jasper a reproachful look but, Jasper just shrugged.

_It made him smile. There haven't been enough of those over the last month._

Bella shook her head. "You're bad boys. I don't know why I missed you."

"Sure you do, sis. We make things lively around here! Plus, we brought you a present." Emmett sent off a text and smiled. "It'll be a few minutes."

As they waited for Emmett's surprise, the group chatted and caught up on the gossip from Alaska. Jasper eyed Edward as they talked about the wedding in Volterra, which now could be officially scheduled.

"Something's up with you, isn't it?" he asked. He'd always had good intuition, due to his unexplored gift, but now that he was finally in tune with it, he was picking up on an undercurrent of emotion running beneath Edward's placid surface. He felt a spike of surprise and a little fear at his question, which made him wonder all the more. "What is it?"

"We'll talk about it, but not now." Edward's tone held a warning not to push him.

Bella took his hand, seeking to soothe him. As always, her touch calmed her mate.

"Why is everybody so morose? I thought you'd be pleased to see your brothers."

Edward whirled at the familiar voice. "El! You masked your thoughts so I wouldn't know you were here."

"Guilty as charged, young man." Eleazar entered the room, his elegant demeanor not having changed at all in the years since Edward had last seen him. He was an older vampire, having been turned when he was forty-two. His dark hair had a hint of silver, and his Spanish skin was a darker hue than most vampires.

He hugged Edward briefly before turning to Bella, watching her with open interest. "Introduce me to your bride," he ordered Edward.

"El, this is my Bella. Bella, this is Eleazar, one of the few vampires in the world who would dare order me to do anything."

Eleazar took her hands in his, brushing a kiss over both knuckles. "It is an honor and a delight to meet the woman who has captured this one's heart. I've known him since he was but a little boy, but I always knew he was destined for greatness. It seems that he's finally found that with you."

"Wow," Bella murmured, knowing she'd be blushing if she had that ability. "I'm pleased to meet you as well."

"Mr. Smooth," Emmett said, laughing. "It's a damn good thing she's already mated to you, Edward. El might just steal her away."

"There's no possibility of that," Edward growled, pulling Bella back into his arms. He knew Eleazar wasn't a threat, but he still felt the need to reclaim his bride. She, knowing what he needed, brushed a kiss over his cheek.

"Sadly, no, I can see where her heart lies. Still, I always knew you'd find a fascinating mate one day. You have fulfilled that destiny."

El was watching her with such an interest that it made Edward's hackles rise.

_Calm down, boy. My interest is only scientific. She reads minds as you do, yes?_

"Yes," Bella responded for Edward, sounding a little put out. "You don't have to pretend that I'm not here."

He laughed. "I'm sorry, dear. I'm used to the boy being in my thoughts, but I'm not used to others."

"It's an adjustment for sure," Edward said dryly.

"I'll say! He wasn't too happy that someone could get into his head!" Emmett told them. "It's been hilarious to watch him deal with her knowing his every thought."

"Until they started talking to each other in their heads all the time. That was annoying," Jasper supplied, making them all laugh.

"And let's not forget when she'd send him a sexy thought, distracting him from whatever we were discussing and causing him to grab her and run out of the room."

Bella was both mortified and proud of herself. "He does it to me, too!"

"You are certainly a very unique pair. I've never seen mates with the same ability before." Eleazar's gaze stayed on Bella, as if he were trying to see inside her head.

"What?" Edward demanded, a bit annoyed at the attention El was giving to his mate.

"Something is different about her. I can't pinpoint it yet."

"Me? What's wrong with me?"

Edward glared at El as he hurried to assure his Bella that everything was fine. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're perfect!"

"My dear, excuse me. I didn't mean to alarm you. I get a sense of people, of their gifts, and I'm getting something different from you than Edward. It's strange because you have the same gift, is all. I'm sure I'll figure it out."

"Oh. So nothing is wrong with me? My power? Is it going away?" She didn't like that idea. She and Edward were equals, able to understand one another in a way that nobody else could, beyond being mated. She didn't want to lose that.

"No, they don't go away," Eleazar rushed to assure her. "My gift allows me to see others. Their aura, sort of. I see colors around each of you. Emmett is red, showing his strength. Even when he was a scrawny boy, I saw that he would one day be amongst the strongest vampires out there. Jasper is blue, showing his connection to emotion. Edward has a purple hue, showing power, royalty, and knowledge."

Bella was fascinated. "What color am I?"

"White, with all the colors running through it. I can see shades of every color in you."

"What does that mean?" Edward asked, linking his fingers with her. He didn't know if he should be excited by this revelation, or afraid.

"I'm not sure. It could mean that her power hasn't settled completely on her yet. It's possible that the purple will take over."

"But that's not what you think," Edward prompted, annoyed because El was masking his thoughts. His ability to recognize the power in others also allowed him to know how to thwart that power. Such was his gift, and it was a very strong one.

"I could be wrong-and I don't want to-"

"You're yellow," Bella said suddenly, stopping Eleazar's words in their tracks. "I can see it, now. I can see all of them. What does that mean?"

Eleazar's face was practically glowing. "It means, my dear, that you are even more extraordinary than I could have imagined. I never thought I'd see the day!"

_Empath._

Edward and Bella both gasped as his thought hit them. Before anybody could say a word, Edward held up a hand. He listened and breathed and found that they were entirely alone. He knew who his mole was, but he'd elected to let her live for now, electing to keep his enemies close. He figured he could use Bree to spread misinformation to Aro if necessary.

"Everyone's gone?"

"Yes," Jasper answered, his nerves spiking at the emotions that were swarming into the room. "Emmett and I told them to take off until opening since they've all been pulling extra hours while we've been gone. Nobody protested."

"They ran off like bats out of hell. What aren't you telling us?" Emmett asked. He was ready at any moment to do whatever Edward may order him to do. He didn't know what was going on but he knew that his brother was going to do whatever it took to protect Bella.

"Bella's an empath," Eleazar announced, his voice almost reverent.

"What does that mean?" Emmett asked, annoyed that he alone appeared to be clueless.

"It means that she doesn't have one power…she has them all," Jasper supplied, sounding awed as well.

"Not exactly. An empath has the ability to have all abilities, but they must be exposed to them in order to learn to use them."

"So, Bella was able to read minds first because Edward is all up in her business twenty-four-seven," Emmett surmised, making Edward scowl while the others laughed.

"More or less, yes."

"She's perceptive, like Jasper," Edward announced. "She picks up on how people are feeling, but she doesn't control it or anything."

"Because he couldn't. He resisted learning how to use his gift, and thus it was an untapped power until recently. Now that he knows how to use it…"

"I will?" Bella asked. She'd remained quiet as the men discussed her gift. She wasn't sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, it was overwhelming to think that she possessed an ability to do pretty much anything. On the other, it was exciting and exhilarating. Her mind whirled at the unknown.

"Yes." The reverence in Eleazar's voice made Bella nervous. "You can do anything you allow your mind to do. You've simply to open up, absorb the gift into yourself. Think of yourself as a mirror, but instead of reflecting back the gift, you can pull it in, while still reflecting. You don't take the ability away from the vampire; you just absorb it into yourself."

"Are there limits?" Fear gripped Edward. "If she's around too many different powers, will it overwhelm her? Could it hurt her?" That was not to be allowed. He'd keep her away from all other vampires if that was the case. They'd hide away from the world and not let anyone near her.

"Edward, it's okay," Bella reassured him, although she wasn't sure herself.

"I can't say for sure, of course, but she's around three talented vampires, and it isn't causing her any harm. You are thinking of Volterra, yes?" Eleazar asked, still studying Bella intently.

"We're supposed to be wed there, soon. I won't risk her." Edward was adamant about that.

"Of course, I understand your reticence. I don't think it'll be an issue, however. If you wanted to diminish it, you could perhaps expose her to some of the talent that will be there before you arrive. Let her absorb and understand one by one so she's not overwhelmed when you're there."

Edward liked that idea. He could request visits by various vampires who would be in attendance under the guise of wanting to find his replacement at Venom. He had planned on taking time off to travel with his bride anyway. He had planned to leave the club in Emmett's and Jasper's capable hands, but he knew Aro would be more comfortable with someone higher in the organization stepping in.

"You think that would work?" Bella asked, having heard her mate's thoughts. She knew that Edward wouldn't risk her mental health by exposing her to all the vampires at once, and it seemed like a good idea to her.

"Of course! I'm sure once Aro knows about her power; he'll want to do anything he can to make her as strong as possible! He's going to lose his mind over her!"

Eleazar had said exactly the wrong thing. Edward growled, and before his brothers could react, he had Eleazar pinned to the floor, his mouth at the older vampire's throat.

"Edward! What are you doing?" Emmett started to pull him off, but Bella stilled him.

"Don't," she warned, knowing that her mate was ready to kill to protect her.

"Aro can't have her!" Edward spat, his grip on Eleazar tightening to the point of pain, making him cry out.

Edward was beyond rational thought. He had nightmare visions of his Bella being taken away from him, being locked in that terrible castle just like he'd been as a child, unable to escape; bending to Aro's will and working for him. It could not happen.

"We have to stop him. He's going to kill El!" Emmett protested, turning on Bella.

Jasper sought to send calm to the room, but Edward's rage was more powerful than even he could breach.

Bella knew she had to help Jasper and Emmett understand Edward's rage before they turned on him to save Eleazar.

"Benjamin," she murmured, causing both vampires to turn and stare at her.

"What?"

"Aro killed that little boy, Benjamin, who you were all friends with when you were children."

"No, he got sent home to his family," Emmett told her, speaking slowly, confused as to what that had to do with what was happening right now.

"Aro killed him, right in front of Edward. And his mother was killed when he was taken, and his father died of a broken heart, and Edward hates Aro." She let it all go, because she knew from her mate's thoughts that Eleazar wasn't going to be able to alert anyone to her abilities. "We're going to kill him when we go to Volterra to get married."

The shock that went through them all at her words could be felt even without Jasper's gift.

"You can't!" Eleazar shouted, trying to struggle. "Aro is our leader. It is because of him that we are all here today. I won't allow this."

"You don't have a choice," Edward hissed, his hands tightening around El's throat.

Emmett shook his head, slowly coming back into focus. "You've been planning this?"

"Since you've been gone, although Edward's been planning it all his life, pretty much," Bella answered, her eyes on her mate. He was seconds away from destroying Eleazar. "We were waiting to talk to you, to see if you'd help. There are others…" She broke off, not wanting to say too much. If Emmett and Jasper weren't on board, they were going to be in major trouble.

"He killed Ben?" Jasper asked softly, his mind picturing that delicate little boy.

"And others who weren't gifted. You all got to live because Aro wanted to turn you into his army." Bella glanced at where Edward had Eleazar pinned to the floor. "El was able to tell him which ones would have talents and which wouldn't…"

Before she could finish the sentence, Emmett had hauled Edward off of Eleazar.

El was beyond relieved. "Aro is going to be most unhappy to hear about your behavior, Edward. He expects better from you. I know you want to protect your mate, but she will be a most cherished asset to the coven. You should be honored!"

"Did you do what she said?" Emmett demanded, his voice rough. "Did you tell him which of us were going to be valuable?"

"Well, of course I did! He didn't want all those children about, but it made Sulpicia happy, and once he realized that some of you had gifts, he saw that he could benefit from the arrangement."

"So you told him Ben wasn't gifted?" Jasper asked, his eyes shooting fire.

Eleazar felt the tension in the room. "Yes, but-"

That was all he said, because Emmett snapped head off and Jasper started ripping at his torso.

"He had to die, right?" Emmett asked, looking at Edward, who was staring dispassionately at the pile of limbs before him.

"Yes. Aro can't know about Bella. And he can't know what we're planning," Edward responded, his mind already calculating what to do about the mess.

"When were we going to know?" Jasper was irritated at having been shut out.

"As soon as you got back. I need you if we're going to take down Aro. Obviously he isn't the only one."

"Caius," Emmett said with a grim smile. He had always hated Caius. It would be a pleasure to kill the sadistic bastard.

"Chelsea, obviously. The shields. James. What about Mother?" Jasper asked.

Edward hesitated. Sulpicia was the reason he'd been taken, and she'd killed his real mother. He didn't hate her like he did Aro, though.

"I don't know. I guess we have to see how she reacts. He's her mate, but…"

"We're her children. And she's crazy about her children," Jasper finished, conflicted as well. He'd follow his brother anywhere, but he wasn't sure if he could kill his surrogate mother. Aro wasn't an issue.

"We've time to figure it out. First, we need to dispose of this before the others return. Emmett, Jasper, you take him somewhere and burn his remains. Bella, grab his phone. We'll text the girls that he's received word of a talented vampire and he's heading out for a while. It'll buy some time, and we can all swear he left here healthy and happy."

Edward turned to his mate. "Do you think you're going to be able to pick up these gifts on your own? If I could have kept him alive, he could have helped, but he was too much of a threat."

Bella wrapped her arms around him. "I'll do whatever I have to; you know that."

"I'm sorry you had to see-"

She cut Edward off with a kiss. "I'm going to see a lot more of it before we're done, and I don't care. I only care about you."

As always, she humbled and amazed him. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Let's get to work. Call in the vampires."

There was no time to waste. They had much to do before they headed to Volterra.

**A/N Hi El...bye El! The threat had to be extinguished! To clarify, Bella's power being referred to as an "empathic" one isn't the same as Jasper's. If you watched Heroes, they called Peter and Sylar empaths, they had the same power she does.  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N Just wanted to touch on a couple of things I keep getting asked:**

**There is no Alice in this story. I know, I love her, too, but it takes place only over a span of about 3 months and all 3 boys meeting their mates in that time after about a century of being alone just doesn't make sense to me. So, Alice isn't here, she's either a human or maybe not even born yet. Jasper will meet her when he's destined to and I'll leave it at that.**

**The mole was revealed quickly in the last chapter as Bree. Truthfully, I added that because so many of you were concerned about the mole, when really, they're not an issue. They spilled a couple of beans to Aro that annoyed Edward but nothing that has any import to their plan or anything. Edward sees no point in doing anything about Bree now, as it might alarm Aro.**

**Okay, enough babbling! Two big questions answered in this chapter! Enjoy!**

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 14

The next few weeks were a revolving door of vampire talent. Aro had been so thrilled when Edward told him that he and Bella planned to return to Volterra after their extended honeymoon that he hadn't batted an eyelash at the request to interview the best of the best to fill his position. Venom was the highest profile of the vampire clubs, and it was important that it maintain good leadership after Edward took his leave. At least, that's what he let Aro believe.

For her part, Sulpicia was just happy to be getting her favorite son back. She was beyond immersed in wedding plans, and all Bella had to do was pick her dress. Actually, she didn't even have to do that, but she insisted upon having that one thing for herself. Nobody was about to argue with her.

Emmett was adjusting to life alone post mating. It helped him to have his mind on the upcoming wedding war, as he'd mentally dubbed it. Part of him was sorry that he'd killed Eleazar, who had once been a friend, but knowing that he was the indirect cause of Benjamin's death, along with countless other friends and brothers, made his rash action easier to accept. That, and he knew Edward would have killed him anyway. Bella's gift must be protected at all costs. She was the only sister he had, and he loved her, and more importantly, Edward couldn't live without her. Emmett knew all too well what that was like, and he wasn't about to let his brother suffer as he was.

Jasper immersed himself in learning how to control his gift. He and Bella practiced affecting the moods of the crowded club. They'd gotten quite good at it, but all too often, Bella's mood would turn to lust when she got an eyeful of Edward, and then the humans got a bit out of control. More than once, Jasper and Emmett had had to steer overly amorous couples into the privacy rooms while Bella dragged Edward off to jump his bones. To say that Edward enjoyed that new aspect of his mate's powers would be an understatement.

Bella was a good, subtle pupil, never letting on what she was doing when she got around a new, talented vampire. She'd talk to them just as if she were interested in meeting another member of the guard, learning about their powers and abilities from their own viewpoints without letting on that she was filing that information away to play with later.

Maggie was the first to arrive, and the group had to be careful with her. She was able to tell if someone was lying, which wasn't a talent that Bella really needed with her mind-reading capability, but Edward wanted her to be exposed to as many talents as possible before she was hit with all of them in Volterra.

"So, you're going to retire from the club, Edward?" Maggie asked, her red eyes twinkling.

He smirked at her. "You make me sound like I'm ancient. I wouldn't call it retiring. I'd say that I want to show Bella the world before we settle down. She's never been out of Washington." _Thanks to her stifling, overbearing, ignorant father._

"Really?" Maggie turned to Bella in shock. She was Irish and had been a vampire for over two centuries. There weren't many places she hadn't been.

Bella smiled softly. "No. Edward came into my life just as I was trying to decide how to break myself out of the rut it had become. I guess you could say I've broken out in a big way!" She linked hands with her mate, the love she felt for him plain as day on her face.

Maggie sighed and pushed her red hair out of her eyes. "You're lucky, finding your mate while you were a human. Some of us still haven't."

Bella felt a pang for this girl, wishing that everyone could feel what she felt for Edward.

"Well, Aro's inviting half the vampire world to our wedding," Edward told her with smile. "Perhaps you'll find him, or her, there." He knew Maggie wasn't adverse to female company. She'd been alive long enough to try pretty much everything.

"Perhaps," she said with a hopeful grin.

"So, Edward says that you have an ability?" Bella asked, looking at her with interest.

Maggie laughed. "Yeah, a good bullshit detector. Go on; tell me two truths and a lie."

Bella bit her lip as Edward chuckled at her. "She's the last one you should ask, Maggie. My Bella is a terrible liar. She's lucky her ability to blush went away when she was no longer human."

"It's true." Bella shook her head self-consciously. "But I'll try anyway." She pondered for a few moments. "I like to read. I'm a good dancer. I was homecoming queen senior year of high school."

Maggie grinned. "You can't dance. Which must have made being homecoming queen a bit problematic."

Bella laughed at the memory. "It did! I tromped all over poor Mike Newton's feet during our one and only dance."

Edward was gaping at his mate. "You were homecoming queen?"

Bella shrugged. "It's a small town, Dad was the sheriff, and there wasn't a whole lot of competition."

He nipped her jaw. "Do you have pictures, love?"

"Maybe. Somewhere." She shook her head. "I didn't think you'd want to see them."

"Why ever not?" He was truly baffled by the idea.

_Because Jacob was my date._

Edward growled at that reminder.

"Because you're a possessive fucker, Edward, and she obviously had a boyfriend or a date of some sort. You'll probably kill the poor kid she stepped on just because he got to touch her," Maggie said with a laugh. "Lord help you when you two get to Volterra and the guys get a load of her."

"If they know what's good for them, they'll look away and control their thoughts," he said tightly. It was going to be torture for him to hear some of his cohort's thoughts of her. James, for instance, was likely to die before the wedding day. He got off on pissing Edward off, and Bella was his biggest weakness by far.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Maggie told him, shaking her head. "Not everybody is as happy about your return as Aro and Sulpicia are."

Edward wasn't surprised by this news. There'd been plenty of jealousy aimed his way over the years. His mind-reading ability was likely the only reason that he was still alive today. That and the loyalty of certain brothers, along with fear of reprisal from Aro, had served him well over the years.

"Will you help me kick their asses if need be, Mags?" It didn't hurt to feel her out, although he wasn't about to let her in on his plan. Most would remain ignorant until things began. Then they'd choose their sides and live or die.

"You know I'm always up for a good fight. Must be the Irish in me."

Edward smiled, satisfied with that for now. "So, about the club…"

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Alec was the next vampire to visit, along with his brand new mate, Jane. It seemed Emmett's cast-off had found her kindred spirit upon her arrival at Volterra. Bella didn't have to ask for a demonstration of Jane's power. She gave it freely the first time Emmett walked into the room.

"Hey, Edward, have you-ARGH!" He fell to the floor, thrashing and screaming. Jane and Alec laughed while Bella ran over to try to help him.

"Jane! Enough!" Edward ordered.

Wisely, she listened, and Bella was able to help Emmett up.

Emmett eyed her warily. "Janie. Long time no see." _Sadistic little bitch. Can I kill her, Edward? It doesn't have to be today. Add her to my list for Volterra. Caius and Jane. Mine. Please._

Edward acknowledged the thought with the slightest of nods, pleasing his brother immensely.

"I didn't miss you," Jane informed Emmett haughtily, linking her arm with Alec's. "I found a real man."

Emmett snickered at that. Alec looked like he was about sixteen. He was about half Emmett's size, but his talent could prove useful, so he was here to be interviewed as well.

"I'm heartbroken. Hey, Al, how's it going?" Emmett asked, clapping Alec on his shoulder. Moments later, Emmett was on the floor again, this time out cold.

"What happened?" Bella asked, although she'd been prepared for something like this. She patted Emmett's cheeks, and he remained unresponsive.

"That's my gift," Alec told her, looking rather pleased with himself. "I'm able to put a whole room full of vampires into a state much like sleep."

"Wow. How does it work?" Bella asked, feigning deep interest.

Edward watched Jane as Alec explained the mechanics of his gift to Bella. "Don't even think about it," he warned her, not liking the possessive feelings she was experiencing. It didn't take a lot of prompting for her to use her gift, and if she used it on Bella, it would be the last thing she ever did.

"My Jane is a very passionate woman," Alec told them, shooting her a loving, yet chiding look. "She doesn't mean any harm."

"I think Emmett would beg to differ." Edward cocked a cool eyebrow at the mated pair. "You do know that if you were to run Venom, you couldn't go around zapping people right and left, don't you, Jane?"

"Yes," she answered sulkily. "I only did it that one time Emmett disrespected me by hooking up with that girl right in front of me."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that with me." Alec kissed her hand, and Jane smiled. Edward thought that that might have been the first time he'd ever seen her smile when she wasn't sadistically torturing his brother.

Emmett got up, finally, regarding the pair warily. "If it hadn't been for me, you probably never would have met. You might do well to remember that, Jane."

"You think I should thank you for having to endure a year in your presence? That was worse pain than I ever inflicted on you!" She tossed her blonde hair haughtily.

"Oh, please! If I so much as came home late, you fried my ass! And usually, I wasn't doing anything other than working for Edward."

"Usually…" she said darkly, and Emmett began to spasm again.

"I think we've seen enough," Edward told them.

Alec quietly asked Jane to stop, and Emmett stopped jerking around. "Sorry about that, Edward. She's still a little volatile, especially when it comes to Emmett."

"Not a problem," he lied smoothly. "Thanks for coming by. I'll let you know what we decide after the wedding."

"Of course." Alec bowed formally. "Come on, Jane. Show me the city you grew up in."

"It'll be my pleasure." She glared at Emmett as they strolled past.

He flipped her off after the door closed, and the three vampires waited several minutes until the mind readers could no longer hear her amused and triumphant thoughts. They were blessedly alone.

"Well, that was fun. Did you get enough to work with?" Emmett asked Bella.

"Yes. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that."

He shrugged. "It was my idea. I knew she'd fry me, given the chance. I pushed for the second one just in case you needed more."

"It was unnecessary, but appreciated," Edward told him.

"Always happy to be of service. When does D get here?"

"Last," Edward said flatly.

Demetri had news, and he'd insisted that he needed to impart it in person. Since Edward wanted Bella to be exposed to his power anyway, it actually worked out. He was just anxious and didn't like having to wait for information.

Over the next week, Heidi, Zafrina, Katem and Siobhan stopped in, met Bella and "interviewed." Heidi had the power of attraction, something that Edward was convinced Bella didn't need at all, but it didn't hurt to have a little extra ability. She was able to lure in vampire and human alike with her beauty, something his Bella had no problem with.

Zafrina could project images into others' minds. To say that Bella enjoyed that power was an understatement. She sent her mate all sorts of naughty images and scared a few humans from the club when she sent them nightmarish ones.

Kate had the ability to shock a person, much like Jane, only she had to be touching the person to do so. Jasper served as the test dummy in that case, since Emmett had already had two big jolts. Bella picked up on the extra skills with little to no effort, using Eleazar's ability to sense and understand talents to her advantage.

Siobhan's power was different. It was thought that she could manipulate a situation into the outcome she desired simply by wanting it so. Whether it was true or not, Edward couldn't say, but Bella liked the idea of it. She was going to concentrate on the outcome she wanted with Aro.

Xoxoxoxox

Finally, the day of Demetri's arrival hit, and Edward was beside himself with anticipation. Bella sought to calm him, first using Jasper's gift and finally using her own ability to make him forget about the world by getting him naked. It worked well, and he was far more relaxed when Demetri met the group at the cabin. Their other meetings had been public, because nothing said or done there could disturb Aro if it got back to him.

"Edward!" Demetri hugged him quickly before turning to Bella. "Well, he certainly wasn't exaggerating. You are as beautiful as your name."

"More so," Edward told him, tugging his mate onto his lap. "Now, what's going on?"

Demetri shook his head and gave Jasper and Emmett each a brotherly clap. "Always so impatient."

"Demetri." Edward's tone was a warning growl.

"Okay! Do you want the bad news or the bad news?"

"Did you find my mother or not?" Bella asked softly, making Demetri drop the sarcastic grin he'd been sporting.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn't tease you. Him, yes, but never you. Yes, I found your mother."

Bella gasped, and Edward tightened his hold on her. "Tell us."

"Like I thought, she's in Volterra. I didn't expect to find that she's one of us."

"I already told you she was a vampire," Edward said, confused.

"A vampire, yes, but she's part of the guard." Demetri shook his head. "Even worse, she's a shield."

Well, there went the idea of killing all the shields. They'd been one of the top priorities.

"What? How?"

"She's come since you've been gone. I know her. I mean, I've known her all along, but I didn't know she was Bella's mother until the locket led me back home. Perhaps because it was a human possession and she's a vampire now?" Demetri shrugged, clearly irritated that his gift hadn't enlightened him right away.

"Speaking of...I'm sure you'll want this back." Demetri handed the locket back to Bella, who closed a gentle fist around it before slipping it over her head, thanking him profusely.

"Why have I not heard about her?" Edward demanded, interrupting the pleasantries. His mate's mother had been in Volterra all this time, and he hadn't a clue. He was just as irritated as Demetri was.

"You have. Renata? Aro's personal shield. Phillip's mate."

"Phillip?" Edward narrowed his eyes, remembering Phillip as a child. He'd been a manipulative bully. Edward had never liked him.

"Yes."

"Renata?" Bella asked. "Why are they calling her Renata? Did she forget her name? Does she have amnesia? Is that why she left me?"

Edward soothed his mate with a gentle rub of her shoulders.

"Here's what I was able to find out. You told me to get close to Chelsea, so I did." He grinned darkly. "She likes pillow talk, so I got her talking about her gift and asked her who she really had to use it on. I played like why would anybody need to be persuaded to come to and stay in Aro's services? Clearly we were the lucky ones."

"Good play," Jasper murmured. From his own time with her, he knew Chelsea liked flattery.

"I thought so. Anyway, she told me about a few vampires she'd bound to Aro and how she'd even bound vampires to one another. That interested me, so I asked more about that. It turns out that a decade ago; she was out here with Phillip."

"Really?" Edward nearly knocked Bella off his lap when he sat forward. He caught her and kissed her cheek. "Sorry, love."

"It's okay," she murmured, barely registering anything other than Demetri's words. That was her mother he was talking about. Her mother.

"It seems our Phillip caught sight of the fair Renee in town one day and became quite enamored of her." Demetri crouched on the floor, in front of the bed that Bella and Edward sat on. "Your mother didn't give him the time of day, Bella. She was polite, but brushed him off each time he approached her."

Edward laced his fingers through hers. So much made sense now. He hoped what she was about to hear was going to make his mate feel better about her mother's abandonment. She glanced at him, questioning that thought.

"Tell her, Demi."

"Phillip asked Chelsea to help him, to use her ability to make her feel bonded, mated to him."

Bella gasped. "So, he's not really her mate? She just thinks he is because of some bond?"

"Yes."

The wave of anger and relief she felt at Demetri's words was overwhelming. She'd been robbed of her mother for ten years because some vampire had a hard-on for her mother, one that she didn't return.

"I don't know everything, but it seems that she used her power and your mother went with them. Phil bit her and changed her, and Chelsea has kept her bound to Phil. Apparently your father appeared at some point, but Chelsea made that bond, that emotion, go away, so she felt nothing. They sent your father away and brought your mother to Italy, right outside of Volterra for a few years, until Phil felt she was ready to join the guard. Chelsea's been working her magic on her now and then, although at this point, she thinks she is Phil's mate."

"Asshole," Emmett muttered. "I mean, he's always been a dick, but he stole Bella's mom away from her and her dad. How could he do that?"

Demetri shrugged. "Phil thinks she is his mate, or he wants her to be badly. The bond's worked on him as well."

"If we kill Chelsea, will the bond break? Will my mother remember?"

"I'm not sure. I assume so, although it's been so many years that I can't say for certain. I know that when vampires get away from her, they are able to think for themselves again. Renata should be no different."

"What's with the name change, anyway?" Emmett shrugged both shoulders at Edward's reproachful look. "What? I'm curious."

"You remember how Aro is about the French," Demetri told them, and all the males laughed.

Centuries ago a French vampire had humiliated Aro in front of his guard. He'd refused the invitation to join the Volturi and insulted Aro as well. He'd died moments later, but Aro had never lived down the slight. And he'd hated the French ever since.

"When Renee was found to be a shield, he wanted her in his employ, but didn't like her name, so he made her more Italian sounding with Renata."

"Does she know I'm coming? Does she know who I am?" Her mother. Bella couldn't wait to see her again, to free her from Chelsea's bond.

"I don't know. I don't think so. If she does, she hasn't reacted to it. I'm not sure she remembers much of anything before Chelsea and Phil got to her." Demetri sighed. "My hope is that once I kill Chelsea, your mother will know who she is, who you are, and help us. She could be an issue when getting to Aro."

" _You_ aren't killing Chelsea. _I_ am. She robbed me of my mother. She robbed my father of his wife. And now I don't have either one of them. She's mine." Bella's tone was deadly, and her red eyes lit with fire. _"Mine."_

"Yes, love, all yours. We'll work it out, but she's yours."

"I get Caius and Jane," Emmett informed Demetri with a happy smile.

Demetri laughed. "Can I have Phil? I know that perhaps you want him, Bella, or you, Edward, but he's always been a pain in the ass, and I would love to exact a little revenge for you."

"You can have him," Bella answered for both of them. "Edward gets Aro."

"I call James." Jasper smirked. "I owe him for that little incident in '69. And I'll take Marcus, if necessary."

"I don't think he'll be an issue, but if he is, he's yours," Edward allowed. "I think those are the main targets. Alec will be a problem if Emmett takes out Jane, so…"

"I'll take him! Rat bastard used to steal my food when we were human. And he took down a few tasty humans before I could as well." Demetri smiled. "Good. I needed another."

"What about Mother?" Emmett asked tentatively. There'd been little discussion of her so far, and all of them felt conflicted about her. She was the reason they existed, yes, but she'd done nothing but love them in her own twisted way.

"I don't know," Edward responded, but his mate stopped him.

"She's mine." She took Edward's face in her hands. "She took you, all of you, from your families. She killed your real mother. I'm grateful that she took you, because obviously we wouldn't be here now, but we can't let her do it again. With Aro gone, she might just lose her mind the rest of the way. You can't know what she'll do. And I know you'd have a problem killing her. I would, if the situation were reversed. So I'll do it for you." She looked around the room. "Unless any of you have a problem with it?"

Nobody said anything, and Edward lowered his brow to hers. "You're right, love. She has to die, too. I should-"

"Let me," she pleaded. "For you."

He closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes."


	15. Chapter 15

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 15  
Nerves were high on the way to Volterra. Edward and Bella managed to focus on one another in the private bedroom for most of the flight, but once they touched down, the task at hand occupied all of their thoughts.  
“Remember, when you meet Aro, don’t think about your mother or what’s to come or-“  
“I’ve got it,” Bella interrupted, smiling at her mate. Though her mother had been on her mind constantly since Edward’s revelation of her vampire nature, she knew what she had to focus on. “I am also here to marry my incredible fiancée,” she reminded him. “I think I can manage to think a pleasant thought or two about you to pass the time.”  
He chuckled and kissed her knuckles. “Sorry, love. I’m nervous.” And that was a new feeling for him.  
“And that you can play off on wedding jitters as well,” she told him, while Emmett snorted.  
“As if. That possessive fucker can’t wait until you’re bearing his name.”  
Edward flipped him off but grinned. It was true, after all. “I’ll do my best to get Aro alone as soon as possible. Demetri should have Chelsea occupied by now.”   
“We got Phil,” Jasper added. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen our good brother, hasn’t it, Emmett?”  
“Oh yes, I think we should take him for a night on the town, to celebrate his mating since we’ve seen him last.” Emmett’s smile was feral.   
“Just remember, we’re not killing anybody today,” Edward reminded them. “Tempting though it may be.” The urge to kill his father was always present, but none more so than now that he knew his mate’s mother was bound to him, against her will. Anything that made his Bella unhappy made him very unhappy.  
“And I’ll try to find a way to talk to my mother.” Bella had no idea how that was going to go, or if Edward could even get Aro to step away from his guard, but she had to try.  
“You’ll have some help.” At Edward’s words, they all turned to him. “I told you there were others helping us. I’ve kept their names to myself until I was sure they were completely committed. Some will wait until I’ve spoken to them here so I can hear what they’re not saying. But Gianna will help.”  
He squeezed Bella’s hand. “Gianna is going to take Mother for an emergency dress fitting. It seems that there was a mix-up with the fabric of her dress.” He smirked. “That’ll keep her occupied for a while.”  
Jasper whistled. “She’s going to be pissed.”  
“Yeah, but fortunately, her dressmaker is in Rome. Gianna won’t let her get that far, and she won’t have the chance to kill her before-“  
“I do,” Bella finished. She kissed his cheek. “Thank you, all of you, for what you’re doing for me.”  
“I was always going to do this, love,” Edward said, wanting to assure her that this wasn’t all on her.  
“But the timing is because of me. If you’d had more time to prepare, it would be better.”  
“I’ve had a century to prepare, my beauty. I’m ready. We’re ready. It is I who should be thanking you.” He laughed when she shook her head. “Yes, love. You’ve given me a true purpose in life. Once, I just wanted to take his place-for revenge, for power. I don’t care about that at all now. I could be the new leader, or Marcus or Demetri or whoever wants it can have it. All I care about is freeing your mother and seeing you happy.”  
“Even if my mother weren’t involved, I would want this for you.” Bella smiled over at Emmett and Jasper. “For all of you. I’m so glad you had each other, but I’m so sorry that you lost your families and your lives on one crazy vampire’s whim and her mate’s thirst for power. You deserve this moment far more than I do.”  
“This is our family now,” Emmett told her, gesturing to Jasper, Edward, and Bella. “We’d do anything for you, and we’re honored to be a part of this.”  
“We are,” Jasper echoed. “Freeing your mother, and yes, freeing ourselves, feels like we’re finally doing something worthwhile with our lives. So, thank you, both, for that.”  
Edward nodded at them as their car pulled up in front of the castle that had been their prison for far too many years. “Here we go.”  
Bella had only seen such grandeur on TV specials that showed inside the White House or Buckingham Palace. She openly gaped at the high cathedral ceilings, the gold crown molding, and the priceless artwork and artifacts. The dark, dank dungeon she’d imagined, despite Edward’s description, was nowhere to be found as they walked over immaculate marble floors. She’d missed the name of the vampire who’d greeted them at the door, so enraptured by the view.  
“Do you like it, love?” Edward asked, swinging their joined hands up to his lips to brush them over her knuckles as he loved to do.  
“It’s beautiful. I feel like I walked into a fairy tale.”  
“Just wait until you see the ballroom once it’s decorated for your wedding,” a high, excited voice intoned. Sulpicia ran from the end of the grand hallway and threw her arms around the mates. “It’s so good to have you home!”  
“Mother, it’s good to be home,” Edward lied smoothly. “Would you like to meet my Bella, before you hug her to death?” he asked with a laugh.  
She chuckled as she pulled back to beam at them. “I’m sorry. I’m just so excited. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.” And indeed, she only had eyes for him, taking his face in her hands and looking at him as if she’d never seen anything more beautiful. “I missed you, sweet son.”  
He brushed a kiss over her cheek, squeezing Bella’s hand as he did so. Take control, love. She’ll never let me alone if we don’t shift her focus.  
“I can’t wait to see the ballroom and the rest of your plans for the wedding. I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done to welcome me to the family,” Bella told her.   
The red eyes that had been assessing Edward so lovingly shifted to her. “As if I could do anything else! You’re marrying my son! And look at you. You’re such a beauty! I knew, of course-you’d have to be to catch my son’s eye-but really, pictures don’t do you justice.” You have to be more than pretty to be worthy of my son.  
Bella smiled sweetly, ignoring the jab and taking in the beautiful woman before her. Her auburn hair was straight, and her eyes had an exotic tilt to them, making them more feline in shape. Her eyes, though, her eyes were just wrong. There was something slightly wild about them, as if her pupils were always moving, the red swirling around them. Her madness was right there, easy to see if you looked for it.  
“Thank you. He is by far the most handsome, wonderful person I’ve ever met.” It killed Bella to say the next part, but she knew she had to play the game. “You did a wonderful job raising him.”  
Sulpicia laughed, those strange eyes of hers lighting up. Yes, it had been exactly the right thing. “He made it easy. Such a good boy.” She ran her fingers through his hair, which was indeed quite similar in coloring to her own. Bella could see why she’d likely seen her lost son in Edward.  
What are we? Chopped liver? Emmett thought sourly, making Bella muffle a laugh and Edward smirk, despite his discomfort with Sulpicia’s over-attentiveness.  
“Hi, Mom! We’ve missed you, too!” Emmett boomed loudly, dragging her attention away for the time being.  
“Boys!” They were enveloped in hugs and kissed in greeting as well. “Oh, it’s going to be so wonderful to have everyone home again! I’ve been pestering your father about making you all return, but he insisted that we needed to interact with the humans.” She frowned. “Really, you belong here with me.” Again, her eyes landed on Edward.  
“We’re always with you in our hearts, Mother.” On top of being her favorite for being so like her lost son, and her first stolen boy, he always knew what to say to her thanks to his gift. It only endeared him to her all the more.  
“But I can’t hug and kiss you with my heart,” she reminded him, setting off another round of those very hugs and kisses.   
Bella wondered idly if she should be jealous. This felt and sounded like a lot more than motherly love to her.  
It’s been like this since I hit manhood, love. I know; it’s weird and uncomfortable for me more than anyone.  
Has she touched you? Did she… Bella couldn’t even finish the thought. She was ready to kill the woman right now if she got the wrong response.  
God no! She’s mated to Aro and loves him as a mate should. There’s just always been this slight undercurrent. She doesn’t speak of it or act on it; she’s just touchy feely and too attentive. Trust me, Aro would have had me killed if she’d ever taken it beyond the smothering fixation she has for me.  
Good. Whatever little small conflict she’d felt over killing Sulpicia was now gone, however. The bond she had with Edward bristled at the way the woman touched, talked to, and thought about her mate. Bella was going to enjoy killing her and was rather sorry that she wouldn’t be able to take her time with it.  
Edward bit back a laugh at his mate’s thoughts. “Mother, perhaps we should take Bella to meet Father and the rest of the family?”  
“Yeah!” Emmett threw an arm around Sulpicia, nearly knocking her over in his boisterousness. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen my brothers. Are they ready for a night out on the town?”  
“Of course, dears. Let’s go to your father.” Sulpicia shot a lingering look at Edward as Emmett steered her down the hallway. He, however, slipped his arm around his mate and followed behind, just out of reach. Jasper smirked at the pair as he hurried ahead of them, linking his arm with his mother’s on the other side.  
She’s certifiable, Edward.  
I know, my love. But her attachment to me has kept me safe all these years. There are quite a few who would have been happy to kill me to usurp my position here, but they didn’t dare because she’d go crazy and Aro would be displeased.  
I’ll try to look at it that way, as long as she doesn’t try anything with you.  
She won’t. She never has taken it any further than what you just observed.  
Ahh, but you’ve never been mated before either. Now she has competition for your love, doesn’t she?  
Disgusting. Don’t give me something extra to worry about, my beauty.  
I’ll be worrying for the both of us.  
You have nothing to worry about. I am yours, always. She knows that, even if she has trouble dealing with it. Now, clear your beautiful head of negative thoughts about her before you get greeted by Aro.  
I’m working on it.  
Well, work faster, because we’re here.  
They turned the corner, and Bella gaped again at the splendor around her. They were in some kind of parlor, complete with ornate red-and-gold furniture that looked too expensive and lovely to be more than decoration. Straight ahead, up against the wall, sat a line of thrones, the biggest in the center occupied by a raven-haired vampire, with skin so pale it was almost translucent. Bella had seen him before, of course, on television a time or two as the vampires made themselves public, but in person, he was somehow less imposing. Although she thought perhaps that was because she herself was a vampire, and a powerful one at that.  
She felt the familiar tingle that she got when she was exposed to new powers, something she hadn’t recognized until Eleazar explained what she was and she took in his gift of seeing and understanding powers.   
“Edward, my son, welcome home!” Aro stood and wrapped Edward in his arms, closing his eyes and listening to his son’s happiness to be home and his excitement to introduce Bella to his family.   
“And Bella, my dear. Come, let me get a look at you.” He released Edward and held out a hand to Bella.   
She settled her thoughts before taking his hand in hers. When he touched her, he saw her delight in the surroundings and her excitement over her wedding, as well as her nerves over meeting Edward’s parents.  
“She is as beautiful as her name, Edward.” He smiled at the brunette beauty that had captured his son’s heart. “We are delighted to have you here, Bella, and to welcome you to our family.”  
“It’s an honor. You have a beautiful home. I can’t believe I’m getting married here. I feel like a princess,” she told him.  
You’re a queen, my love. Never a useless princess.  
Bella’s love for Edward burst through her at his thoughts, and Aro heard the way she felt about his son as he still had her hand. It made him smile even brighter.  
“You are very fortunate in her, my son. She loves you completely.”  
“As I love her, Father,” Edward assured him.   
Aro released Bella’s hand to Edward, and he linked his fingers with her again, treasuring the comfort of touching her.  
“That bodes well for your union! Come, let us celebrate as…ahh! There you are!”  
They turned to see what had captured Aro’s attention. Several other vampires walked into the room, one of whom had Bella stiffening. Edward’s grip on her hand tightened, and he mentally willed her not to react too strongly to her mother’s presence.  
Edward! she cried, every fiber in her being wanting to run across the room and grab the black-robed brunette.  
Not yet, my love. This is the hardest thing I will ever ask of you. You cannot react to her. Not until you get your chance to speak to her alone, and even then, you have to be very careful.  
I know. She dug deep inside herself and smiled at the extra wave of calm she felt coming from Jasper. I won’t let you down.  
You could never, he assured her.  
“Bella, darling, I’d like to introduce you to my brothers. This is Caius and Marcus. Brothers, this is Bella, Edward’s mate and intended.”  
Though it was hard, she focused on the two vampires in front of the group as they made their way to her. Like Aro, they were dressed in red cloaks, while the rest wore black. Caius had long white hair, while Marcus’s was black like Aro’s.   
Bella felt the tingle again as her body absorbed Marcus’s gift for reading emotions. He gasped when he looked between Bella and Edward.  
“The connection!” he cried, his hands closing over their joined ones. “It’s so strong. It’s rare that I’ve seen any to rival it.” His mind flashed to his dearly departed mate, Didyme. Their love had been comparable to that of Edward and Bella.  
Edward wondered how he could possibly have continued to live if they were as attached as he and his Bella were. He knew he could not go on if anything happened to her. He’d elect to die himself if he couldn’t be with his Bella.  
The mates felt a pang of annoyance from Sulpicia that she quickly masked behind thoughts of being happy that her beloved son had found his one true love. Bella wanted to react, but knew that now was not the time. She glanced over to where her mother stood with a few other black-robed vampires.  
“I am Caius.” Her vision was cut off by the white-haired vampire, who looked at her with barely disguised dislike. Thanks to Jasper’s gift, she wasn’t fooled by the bow and smile he gave her.  
“It’s nice to meet you,” she told him, smiling despite his feelings.  
“Uncle,” Edward said, giving him a bow in return.  
I am no uncle to you, boy. But his smile stayed in place as he nodded.  
“Come say hello to your brother,” Aro called, and the black-robed vampires moved as one to join the rest of the group.  
“Bella, this is Alistair and Stefan,” Edward told her.   
She shook hands politely with the two older vampires, who hadn’t been turned until they were in their fifties.   
“And this is James.”   
Bella heard the tightness in Edward’s tone and wanted to avoid the hand he held out, but she knew she had to be polite. James’s red eyes moved over her form, and his tongue darted out quickly to wet his lips.  
You’ve done well, haven’t you, Edward? What I wouldn’t give for a taste of that.  
Edward growled softly, and Bella quickly released his grip. She wanted to slap the vampire for his disgusting thought but knew she couldn’t make a scene. Instead, she tapped into one of her new powers and sent him an image of his headless corpse being tossed into a fire. She would have liked to have jolted him with Jane’s power, but she wasn’t around to be blamed, nor did she want to call attention to herself in any way.  
James gasped at the image, and his eyes got very wide. He glanced around the room, looking for an explanation, but couldn’t find one. He shook his head and hurried away from the pair.  
Every time I think I couldn’t love you more, you prove me wrong, my angel.  
Bella smiled at Edward’s thought. He’s lucky I’m not able to unleash all my talents on him right now. I’d love to see him thrashing in pain.  
Soon, my love, he promised.  
Edward tensed again as he looked at the next in line. “Bella, this is my brother Phillip. Phillip, the love of my life, Bella.”  
All amusement at James’s retreat fled as Bella focused on the man who had stolen her mother away. He was handsome, as most vampires tended to be, with blond hair, a defined jaw, and smooth features. His red eyes showed no fear or discomfort as he shook Bella’s offered hand.  
Edward slipped his arm around her, gently rubbing her side as she maintained outward control. She wanted to fry him with Kate’s power, jolt him with Jane’s, and just crush him to dust with her own strength and fury. Only her mate’s touch and loving thoughts kept her grounded. They had a plan. She was going to stick to it.  
“It’s nice to meet you. This is my mate, Renata. I don’t believe you’ve met her, Edward.”  
“No, I haven’t had that honor.” Because you robbed my mate of her mother. Edward took her hand and got no reaction from Renee except for a nod of the head.  
Bella followed suit, every part of her longing to throw her arms around her mother, to shake her and scream, “Remember me!” but it had been too many years and her bond with the Volturi was too strong. She could only hope that once Chelsea was removed from this earth-and she was very much looking forward to being the one to destroy her-that her mother would remember her then.  
Renee, or Renata as she was now called, looked very much as she had in the locket that was around Bella’s neck. She was a beautiful woman, much like her daughter, and now that Edward saw them together, he could see the resemblance, although thankfully it wasn’t overt if one wasn’t looking for it.  
The small part of Bella that hoped her mother would take one look at her and remember was disappointed when Renee released her hand quickly and linked her fingers with Phillip’s. The tingle that remained indicated to Bella that her mother’s shielding gift was now her own. This was another power she was anxious to use. Edward’s protection was paramount to her. If she did nothing else, she would ensure that he survived.  
Emmett broke the tension as only he could. “I can’t believe you found someone to love your ugly mug, Phil.”  
Edward snickered, and Bella started to laugh, and soon, most of the room was doing so, as Jasper’s mirth and delight in the comment spread to the rest of them.  
“I don’t know what’s so funny. Of course I was bound to find my mate. Where’s yours, Emmett?”  
He winced at the direct hit to his heart at the reminder of Rosalie. But Jasper sent him a wave of support, and he smiled. “I’m still playing the field, my man. There’s too much of me for just one woman. I’m surprised there’s enough of you to satisfy one.”  
“Why, I oughta…”  
“Boys!” Aro interrupted, shaking his head and laughing. “It’s so good to have the family home, isn’t it, Sulpicia?”  
“It’s like old times, my love,” she said, beaming at the big group.  
“I think we should go out, just us boys, have a little bonding time. A bachelor party for our boy. What do you say, Father?”  
Edward took Jasper’s queue. “I’d love that. The girls can talk wedding, and we can talk about old times.”  
“It is a good idea,” Aro said, thinking of all his sons and brothers out on one of the secret hunts that they indulged in from time to time.   
“Great.” Edward turned to Bella. “Will you be okay with Mother, love?”  
“Of course,” Bella said, smiling over at Sulpicia. “I can’t wait to get to know her and hear stories about you growing up.”  
Sulpicia, who hadn’t been as enamored of the idea as the rest were, perked up at the idea of talking about her son when he was younger. “Oh, that’ll be fun!”  
“What do you say we head out in about an hour? I’d like to show Bella the rest of the castle and our room, so she knows where everything is,” Edward suggested. His original plan had been to get Aro alone in the castle, but he assumed that he wouldn’t want to bring Renee on a boy’s night out. He’d have plenty of protection without her. If he protested, he’d think of something.  
“Perfect. I can’t wait to spend time with my sons.” Aro was aglow with happiness. His wife had her favorite child back, and having Edward around served him well. His son’s talent kept any treachery at bay, and he liked having him close by to keep him in check.  
“It’s good to be with you, Father. I feel whole now that my family is together.” Nobody knew that he was referring to Bella and her mother except, of course, Jasper, Emmett, and Bella herself. “This is going to be one hell of a wedding.” And several demons will be returning to hell where they belong.


	16. Chapter 16

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 16

Shortly after Edward showed Bella all around the castle, the male vampires took their leave for a night of debauchery, while the females stayed behind to greet guests as they arrived and to look over last-minute wedding details. And true to Edward's word, Gianna appeared quickly to inform Sulpicia of an issue with her dress.

As mother of the groom, Sulpicia considered her dress to be nearly as important as the bride's itself. Actually, if she was being honest, her dress was the most important in her eyes, but even she knew that only she would consider it so.

She had the expected tantrum that the males had been all too happy to escape. Bella stayed out of the line of fire while Gianna reassured her that the dress could be fixed in time, but that they needed to go and have a fitting immediately. Sulpicia forgot all about Bella as she followed Gianna from the room.

_Guess I'm on my own._

Bella waited several minutes before making her way through the castle. One of the rooms that Edward had been sure to show her was Phillip's. Demetri had told them that Renee wasn't social with the other vampires. She either performed her guard duty or spent time in her room with Phillip. Bella suspected that he wanted it that way, since he'd kept her from the rest of the group until Chelsea had bound her as tightly as she could to him.

She knocked on the door and waited several moments before the door slightly opened. Renee peeked out at her, her blank expression the same as it had been in the parlor earlier.

"Am I needed?" she asked, her voice soft, musical, and very different from that which Bella remembered growing up.

Bella's heart would have been pounding in that moment if it had been capable of doing so. "No." _Remember me. Why can't you look at me and see?_

Renee started to close the door, but Bella stilled it. "Sulpicia had to leave, and I was hoping that maybe you and I could talk."

Renee shook her head and tried to shut the door again, but again, Bella stopped her. "Perhaps you could show me around? I'm new here, and surely you-"

"It is not permitted," Renee interrupted. "I am to guard Aro or stay here. That is all."

"Maybe I could come in, talk a little?" Desperation was gripping Bella. She wanted to shake her mother, rattle her brain and make her realize that her daughter was standing before her. It wasn't the answer, but it the only one she had at the moment.

"No, it is not allowed." Renee had a stubborn line across her forehead that Bella remembered from her youth. Her mother was dug in, and nothing was going to change her mind. Before she could figure her next move, she felt the tingle of a new power, and before her very eyes, her mother started to look different. She could still see the black cloak, but now she saw threads, brown threads wrapped around it, almost making her look like a mummy.

Bella gasped as she realized that those were the bonds that were holding her to Phillip, to Volterra. Chelsea was clearly nearby, and Bella had absorbed another power that was pivotal to the plan. She concentrated on one particular thread and watched as it unwrapped and moved toward her. For one brief moment, it connected her and her mother, and she swore she saw a flash of recognition in her eyes.

Before she could react, a feminine voice interrupted them. "Well, hello. Who have we here?" The thread snapped back to Renee's body instantly, before several other threads reached behind Bella to the newcomer.

Bella turned and put on what she hoped was a confused smile. "I'm afraid I'm all turned around. My name is Bella. I'm-"

"Edward's fiancée! I'm delighted to meet you. I'm Chelsea."

Bella wanted badly to rip the pretty brunette's head off, to free her mother of those awful threads that stretched between the two women. But she couldn't.

"It's great to meet you. I was wondering if there were any other females about. I've only met Edward's mother and Ren…Renata."

Chelsea laughed, seemingly delighted. "There are a few of us about, but we are outnumbered greatly." She grinned conspiratorially. "Not that we tend to mind. So many gorgeous men, you know?"

Bella chuckled with her. "Yes, it's not a hardship on the eyes, is it?"

"Most certainly not."

Bella didn't react as a new bond moved from Chelsea to wrap around her, even though everything in her screamed to break it and take her mother and run. That was not to be the way. Edward had warned her that Chelsea would use her bonds on them; it was just her nature. The key was to appear to already be tied to Volterra, to want to be there. She wouldn't feel the need to use more than the most basic of ties, plus Bella would be able to break it at any time with her newfound gift.

"So, what brings you to Renata's door?" Chelsea asked. Bella heard the underlying tension in the tone.

"Edward and the men went out to celebrate his last few days of bachelorhood," Bella told Chelsea, rolling her eyes for effect and making her laugh. "I wanted to look around this fabulous house, castle, whatever you call it, and got all sorts of turned around." She put all of her love for the architecture and art into her words, making it clear that she found Volterra to be heaven on earth. It wasn't hard to look at it as such, even though she knew it had been her mate's prison for far too many years to count.

"They left you all alone, did they?" Chelsea shook her head, tsking at the very idea.

"Sulpicia and I were going to go over wedding stuff, but there was an issue with her dress, so-"

"Well, we can't have that, can we? Let us show you about, and you can tell us all about how you and Edward met." Chelsea tucked her arm in Bella's, and the bond wrapped around them.

Bella smiled, accepting the tie. She bit back the sigh of relief when Chelsea gestured to Renee to join them.

"That sounds great." She fell into step with the women, trying not to be annoyed that she hadn't had a breakthrough with her mother. A germ of an idea took shape, and she beamed at Chelsea. "Are you mated?"

"Oh, no, not yet! I've found my place here, but not my mate."

Bella glanced at the Picasso on the wall. "I can see why it's your place. I've never seen anything more amazing."

Chelsea was pleased at Bella's contentment with Volterra.

_Aro will be thrilled. She wants to be here without any assistance from me. His wish of having his son and daughter nearby will be quite easy to fulfill._

"The mate will come, I'm sure, and as you said, there are so many pleasing men to have a good time with in the meantime, am I right?"

As Bella gossiped and pretended to be interested in Chelsea's love life, she sent her mother image after image of herself as a human, with her daughter and her husband. She showed her memories of curling her hair, and Bella pestering her with questions as she made dinner, visits to the park and picnics at La Push, of Charlie and Billy and everyone else in town who her mother interacted with. She oohed and aahed over the magnificent sites in the castle as she inundated Renee with visual after visual. She was grateful that her mother's mind was open to her. Edward had warned her that the shield might prevent her from having any effect, but her mother apparently only used her shield when Aro was around.

Renee didn't react, but Bella felt like she was accomplishing something. Her mother's mind was carefully blank, but something about her face appeared softer. Even if she didn't remember the images, she seemed to like them. For now, it would have to suffice.

Xoxoxoxoxox

"A strip club? Really?" Edward asked as the vampires poured into one of the many clubs owned by Aro. As a mated vampire, he felt absolutely no pull toward the gyrating bodies on the stage, but his brothers were all whooping it up. Since Emmett was actually smiling, Edward wasn't going to make a scene. He did notice that, while most of the mated vampires looked as bored and disinterested as he did, Phillip was having a grand time.

His eyes met Marcus's, and he raised an eyebrow at the elder vampire. "They don't do anything for you?" Marcus had been alone longer than Edward had been alive.

"Nobody will ever compare to my Didyme," he responded.

"But-"

"We were together for a long time, and one day, we'll be together again. Until then, I wait." Marcus regarded Edward with interest. "You are as besotted with your Bella as I was Didyme. Can you conceive of ever touching another, even if she were gone?"

The thought made Edward physically ill. He took a seat at the table the elder vampires occupied, his back to all the action. "No. Bella is all I'll ever want."

"That is good, my son," Aro told him. "Meeting the right woman changes your perspective. All the things that once mattered become less."

That was true, yet Edward was still going to kill Aro and enjoy it. He'd enjoy it more now knowing that his Bella had been robbed of her mother due to his family. Maybe Aro didn't know about it, maybe he hadn't sanctioned Phillip's and Chelsea's actions, but he'd done plenty of other things he had to pay for.

"What if your mate was human when you met and she had no interest in becoming a vampire?" Edward asked, thinking of Emmett. He didn't know if Aro knew and he wasn't going to betray his brother's secret, but he was concerned about him.

"You mean, what if Bella hadn't chosen to be with you? What would you do?" Marcus asked, leaning back, his bony fingers tapping the table.

"Yes. I got lucky, but I know there are some humans that are very against becoming what we are. What then?" Edward was interested in Marcus's viewpoint on this topic in particular.

"Change her anyway," Caius answered, sounding bored.

Edward rolled his eyes. That was not unexpected, coming from Caius. He was a cruel vampire who thought only of himself and his needs.

"That's against the law," Aro informed, his grin belying his words. "I'd do that or take away her reasons for objecting."  _Emmett should have killed her family until she agreed._

"What if you couldn't?" Edward didn't react to Aro's thought.  He knew Emmett wanted to kill Rose's fiancée-it had been a brief thought-but he'd been dissuaded by knowing the pain that it would cause her, and the anger it would bring his way.

"Nothing is impossible for us." Aro waved a hand airily. "If she is your mate, she will come to accept what she's become."

"Or make you miserable for eternity," Marcus pointed out. "No. I'd let her go. I'd stay close, and I'd wait for her to realize that she couldn't do without me. If she didn't, then I'd wish for her happiness, and when she got old and passed, I'd follow."

"But you didn't follow Didyme," Edward said.

"She and I had our time together. I have that to hold on to, to remember, to get me through every long day of my existence. If I go before my time, she'll be waiting for me, yes, but she'll be very angry. She wants what's best for me as well, young Edward. For now, I'm needed on this earth. Think of all I would have missed had I followed my beloved."

Edward couldn't fathom it, but thankfully, he didn't have to. He suspected Emmett would do as Marcus mentioned: watch and wait to see if Rose would come to him. If she never did, and Emmett wanted to follow her when she died, he would respect his brother's wishes. He'd want the same, in his place.

"It seems the boys are having a fine time," Aro observed, changing the subject back to more pleasant topics.

Edward saw that several lap dances were happening. Jasper, James, and Phillip were all partaking. Emmett was cheering and smiling, although it didn't reach his eyes.

"Some more than others," Edward muttered. "I thought Phil was mated."

"He is, but you've seen her," Aro sniffed derisively. "Not much life in that one. She's a good guard, though."

Edward's hands clenched into fists under the table as he sought for control. He badly wanted to snap that Renee might have been livelier if not for Phil and Chelsea's machinations. _Soon_ , he reminded himself.

_You see that he is not mated to her, don't you?_

Edward responded to Marcus's mental inquiry with a tilted head. Of course Marcus knew. He should know, as that was his gift. What Edward didn't understand was why he hadn't said anything to Aro or anybody else.

_He wants to be, or he puts on a good show of wanting to be, but something isn't right there. I haven't figured out why he continues the charade._

Edward cut eyes to Aro, asking the question with his eyes.

_Yes, he knows something isn't right, but he likes her gift._

But of course. Aro didn't care if Renee was more or less a prisoner in her own body; he just cared that she provided him protection. Edward fought not to sneer.

_For a long time, I thought that perhaps they were mated, just not as strongly as others. Not everybody is as connected as you and Bella are: in fact, the strength of your connection is quite rare. But even the weakest mate bond I've encountered has felt "right." Phillip and Renata have never felt right to me._

Because they weren't. Edward wanted to bash his quasi-brother's head in and free Renee then and there, but of course, it couldn't be done. Not if he wanted to be alive to marry his Bella in a few days. Phillip wasn't long for this world, though, so Edward hoped that he enjoyed his lap dance.

_Nice, brother. You put me on distraction detail while the rest of the guys get tits and ass? The things I do for you._

Edward bit back a grin as Demetri's annoyed thoughts hit him loud and clear.

"Demetri's here," he told the rest of the table. "Excuse me for a minute. I haven't seen him yet."

"Yes, yes, go! Just because you have no interest in the ladies doesn't mean you shouldn't spend some time with your brothers. They have missed you nearly as much as your mother and I have."

Edward gave Aro a grateful squeeze on the shoulder. _Thank you for everything, Father. Bella is so in love with the house, and it's the perfect place to marry her and give her my name. Your acceptance of her means more than I can say._

_She is a beautiful girl, Edward. And I can see how complete she makes you. Your mother and I are beyond happy that you've found her and that you're coming home._

_It's good to be home, Father._

"Go! Enjoy your bachelor party, son. You only get one!"

That was true. A mated vampire never got divorced or found another. One and done.

Edward congratulated himself on a job well done as he joined his brothers. Aro had no idea that anything was afoot, and thus far, he and Bella had both managed to maintain their equilibrium, despite the emotional challenges around them.

"Having fun, perverts?" Edward asked as he avoided the grasp of a scantily clad woman. He dropped into a chair next to Demetri, who was making up for lost time with a topless dancer grinding in his lap.

"I am now!" Demetri licked his lips as the woman bent to the floor, waving her ass in his face.

_I sent Chelsea home as requested. Do you think Bella had enough time with her mother?_

Edward shrugged. No news was hopefully good news. By now, Bella had Chelsea's ability in her repertoire, and that could only serve them well when things started to happen. The plan was for Bella to break Chelsea's bonds by killing her and re-bond those who weren't on the hit list to Edward, temporarily. He had no interest in maintaining loyalty through tricks and fear like Aro did, but during the heat of the moment, the more help they could get, the better.

"Don't you want a lap dance, brother?" James asked sarcastically, his hands on the ass of an athletic blonde.

"No, thanks," Edward replied with disinterest.

"I guess I can understand. Bella is one hot piece of ass. Wherever did you find her?"

Edward fantasized about backhanding James and sending him through the wall. "She walked into Venom, and instantly, I knew she was mine."

"Lucky, fucker. I have got to get Father to let me run a club."

"Like that would go well." James wasn't known for his control or his restraint. He'd likely break major rules on the first day.

"It would if all the girls looked like Bella. Hot damn." James slapped the blonde's ass, watching it jiggle.

Edward knew James was trying to get a rise out of him. He just gave him a wolfish grin, his face saying it all. _You wish you had what I have, but you don't. Enjoy watching from afar, because that's as close to her as you'll ever get._

James couldn't hear his thoughts, but he got the message and didn't like it. _That girl on the pole looks a bit like your Bella. Maybe I'll call her that when I'm fucking her later._

Edward laughed. "Have fun with that. She pales in comparison. And later tonight, it'll be my name that Bella cries out. I couldn't care less what your poor substitute says or does."

He turned his back on one soon-to-be-dead brother to face the other. "So, Phillip, you've all heard how I met my Bella. How did you meet your mate?"

Phillip looked away from where his eyes had been glued to the pole dancer in question. "Huh? Oh, I met her when I was visiting America a decade back. One look at her, and I knew." His gaze went back to the brunette.

"And she knew, too?" Emmett asked loudly, shaking his head. "I just can't see it, Philly." Phillip hated nicknames, so Emmett delighted in using them. "Girls just don't like you, unless you pay them, of course." He waved a hundred in the air, and the brunette left the pole and took it, dancing with little enthusiasm in front of Phillip when Emmett pointed to him.

"She liked me just fine," Phillip said testily.

"If you say so, Philistine. She sure is quiet, though." Emmett shook his head. "I hope she's livelier for you in private."

"She's shy and she's in Father's employ," Phillip said through clenched teeth. "She takes her job seriously, as should you. Don't disrespect her."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what you're doing, eying naked girls while she's home alone?"

"She knows where I am, and she doesn't mind. It's my brother's bachelor party. This is what men do."

Men, yes. Male vampires? Not necessarily, but Edward had squashed Aro's hunting idea. He felt no need to break the law, content with the status quo.

_God, he's annoying, isn't he? I can't wait to kill him, really. The fact that I haven't in all these years is beyond me._

Edward laughed at Demetri's thought. "Indeed." He saw the way Jasper watched James, with the same covetous desire to kill as Demetri had. His brothers were going to enjoy his wedding nearly as much as he would.

A part of him wished that he and Bella could have a normal wedding, but that would have to wait until they returned to Seattle. He would give her the wedding she deserved then. Here, it was fitting that they spent their wedding in a non-traditional way. They were vampires, after all. Why not spend it killing? He watched Phil lick the shoulder of the dancer. Yes, love and death would do.


	17. Chapter 17

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 17

A vampire wedding didn't follow a lot of traditions. Edward and Bella spent the night in one another's arms, making love and talking without words. Plans were finalized and refined. All that was left was to carry them out. They gave each other encouragement, their faith in one another unparalleled. They also made their most important vow, to be whole and united when all was said and done.

The one custom that Bella insisted upon observing was that Edward not see her dress until she walked down the aisle. She'd gotten it specifically with him in mind, and she wanted that gift of stunning him speechless when he laid eyes upon her for the first time. Edward couldn't argue with that because he knew seeing her would take his breath away, if he had any to take.

With one final kiss, he bid her goodbye, leaving her to the devices of several of the females in the family. Bella had leaned pretty heavily upon Chelsea since they'd met, even asking her to be her maid of honor in lieu of Jessica and Lauren. Humans weren't invited to the proceedings, for their own comfort. Bella planned to include them in what she considered to be her "real" wedding in LaPush, after all was said and done.

Chelsea had been incredibly flattered when Bella asked her to stand for her and had readily agreed. The bridal party was quite strategic, if a little strange by modern standards. Bella's side would include Sulpicia, as her matron of honor, Chelsea as maid of honor, and Heidi and Gianna as bridesmaids. Edward's side included Aro, as best man, Emmett, Jasper, and James. Marcus was to stand as officiant, and Caius would be assisting, his rightful place being with his brothers.

The inclusion of James in the wedding party was ostensibly to bury old grudges, but in reality, it was strategic. Demetri was going to be in the seats to take on the potential issue of Alec, Jane, and anybody else who thought about moving against them. This was also why Aro and Sulpicia were included, instead of just sitting in as parents of the groom. Edward wanted them within easy reach when things started to happen.

"You seem lost in thought, my son."

Aro's voice shook Edward out of his strategizing, and he gave his father a bright smile.

"I'm just counting the minutes until Bella is officially my wife."

Aro laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder, listening intently to Edward's thoughts. The groom kept trying different dresses on his bride in his head, each just as beautiful as the last.

"You are besotted. I knew it, of course, but it is quite something to see. I had my doubt that we'd ever have a day like this."

Edward tilted his head, studying his father intently. "Why?"

"Walk with me," Aro suggested, leading Edward into the open courtyard in the center of the castle. Once, it had been Edward's prison, the place where he and the others had been forced to play, hidden away from the world like the vampires they'd one day come to be. In times of introspection, Edward would occasionally wonder if his initial desire to out the vampires was a symbolic step toward the freedom he'd longed for as a child. No longer did he need to hide in a secluded castle and deny who he was. He was Edward Cullen, vampire, and he wasn't ashamed of it. He was only ashamed of how it had come to be and the vampire who had made it so.

"You hated it here."

Edward's head whipped to Aro in surprise. His father hadn't been touching him in that moment, and fear clutched at his heart. Was Aro more powerful than he'd ever let on?

"Did you think I couldn't see your discontent? You were such an expressive child. I didn't have to read you to know that you wanted your family back. You grew to accept this life, to excel in it, but you weren't happy. Not even when I gave in to your request that we expose our true selves to the rest of the world. No, son, you've never been truly happy until Isabella came along."

Edward felt the vise grip on his body relax. "You're right. I never knew something was missing inside of me until Bella walked into the club. She's helped me to appreciate the family that you've given me."

Aro cocked an eyebrow. "How is that?"

"Her mother left when she was just a child." Edward watched Aro for any hint of recognition and got none. "And her father, well, he's an asshole." Aro burst out laughing, which made Edward grin. "To say that he was upset in Bella's choice to change and her mating to me would be an understatement. He's more or less disowned her."

"His loss is our gain. We're more than happy to have Isabella here with us."

"Thank you, Father. It means the world to both of us that she has a place where she's loved and accepted for who she is. I think that's one of the reasons that she's fallen so hard and fast for Volterra. She feels like she belongs here."

"You both do. You needed the time away, time to get perspective and to get over your discontent."

"I wasn't unhappy. I just wasn't complete."

Aro agreed with a nod. "An incomplete, possibly discontented man is a threat. He seeks to fill the hole within in ways that can be detrimental."

Edward steeled himself at Aro's words. "What are you saying, Father?"

"I feared that your ambition was going to get in the way of what we sought to accomplish here. Your gift, your hunger for something different, was a constant worry for me."

"I don't want what you have." At one time, he had, but that was only for the satisfaction of besting Aro. Now he just wanted to be free of him and to free Bella's mother from his clutches.

"I can see that. Finding your mate has satisfied you in ways that I thought you'd sought to fill with power and vengeance."

"You honestly thought I was a threat?" Edward outwardly scoffed at the very idea.

"It is by identifying potential threats that I manage to remain in power, son. There are few vampires that I've ever discounted as a potential threat. Heavy is the head that wears the crown."

Edward managed not to roll his eyes at Aro's elevating himself to a kinglike status; after all, the man did sit on a throne when conducting formal business.

"At one time, I did envy your power and your position," Edward told him, giving Aro the validation he wanted. "I couldn't fathom wanting anything else, perhaps because this"-he gestured around the courtyard-"was all I knew. But going out into the world, interacting with humans, running the club, being a part of such a gigantic change for our kind, gave me a bigger perspective. And then Bella came along, and I had everything that I could possibly want."

Edward touched his father's arm, showing him his sincerity. "I don't envy your position. The constant fear, the need for guards and protection…it suits you. It wouldn't suit me, not any longer. I want to be able to show Bella the world without fear that someone would usurp my position while I was gone. Or worse, attack either one of us. She is my greatest strength and my greatest weakness, and I couldn't be without her."

"Marcus is right; you do have a far more unique bond than even most mated pairs. I love your mother beyond words, perhaps to the point of madness. But I would go on without her. I believe you when you say that you couldn't without Bella."

"I could not."

"And you know, by telling me this…"

"That I only increase your hold over me? That I give you the power to destroy me by destroying her? Yes, but you already knew this without me telling you. Perhaps by acknowledging it, I can lay any remaining fears you may have to rest. I won't risk her. I can't."

His words rang true, and Aro patted him reassuringly. "She'll be safe here, with all of us. It's a shame that she has the same talent as you do, although having two mind readers in the fold hardly hurts us. What did Eleazar have to say about her?"

Edward furrowed his brow. "Haven't you spoken to him? He saw the same things in her that he saw in me, of course. He was surprised by how perfectly matched we were."

Aro smiled indulgently. "Like Marcus is."

"Yes. Eleazar said that he had a lead on a true talent and was off to investigate. I assumed it was for you, although perhaps he wanted to see if the talent was real before he got in touch with you."

"I haven't heard from him." Aro frowned. "Neither have Carmen, Kate, Tanya, or Irina. Did he say, or think, what this talent was? Perhaps something happened."

Edward shook his head. "He didn't. He took off shortly after meeting with us. He didn't even say in what direction he was headed, but I know he wasn't positive if the talent was real or not. Perhaps he's somewhere with no cell reception."

"It's possible. God knows Zafrina lives in the jungle, for some unfathomable reason. I'm surprised she came to the wedding."

"Everybody seems to have shown up," Edward observed wryly.

Aro laughed. "Your wedding is a reason to celebrate! They want to pay respects to me and my eldest son." He patted Edward's back. "Come. Let's socialize some before the big event. There are people here who haven't seen you in years."

Aro sounded rather reproachful when he said that, so Edward grinned. "They'll see a lot more of me from here on out."

"I'm so glad to hear that, son."

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

"You make me want to get married. Wow!"

Bella laughed as she turned away from the full-length mirror, her dress swirling lightly with her movement. She knew she'd never been more beautiful. She'd selected this dress with her mate in mind. He kept telling her she could be the queen of the world, if she so desired, and she'd decided to play with that a bit. In her mind, queen-like dresses were lacy and old-looking and really not her, so she'd gone it a step better. For what was more powerful than a queen but a goddess?

Her dress was a long white column of chiffon, with a strapless sweetheart neckline with a sash that wrapped around one side of her neck and attached to her bust with a flower. The top was ruched with a high waistband that made Bella's waist look tiny. The back was corseted, and the dress was light and airy. Bella looked every inch like Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, or Helen of Troy, whose face had launched a thousand ships. She was stunning.

Her hair was a mass of curls pinned around her face, a few hanging down but primarily swept back so the dress could be the star. Her make-up was light, just a little darkening around the eye to make her look a little dramatic.

"I think Edward will approve," Bella murmured, swirling her dress again. She loved it. She wanted to go dancing on the beach in this dress. Perhaps after…

Chelsea ushered Bella back into the chair and began weaving some pretty little white flowers into her hair. "You're gorgeous. Edward is going to swallow his tongue."

Bella laughed lightly. "He'd better not. I'm rather attached to it." The girls rang out in peals of laughter at her dirty comment.

"Damn, you're well matched," Heidi told her when she was able to stop laughing. The gorgeous woman really found herself liking Bella. She was excited to have a new female around. Especially one who had a sense of humor. Too many of the old matrons in Volterra were boring and lifeless in her book.

"We think so," Bella said with a soft smile. "He's everything I never knew I wanted. He came into my life when I was ready for a change, and well, here I am. Everything has changed for the better."

"You are a very lucky girl," Sulpicia intoned, looking down at her soon-to-be daughter-in-law with a critical eye. "Edward could have had any woman in the world, and he selected you." Her tone indicated that she found Bella lacking. She felt free to share her opinion now that her son wasn't around to get angry with her for mistreating his mate.

Bella just smiled as she looked into Sulpicia's wild eyes. "Yes, he could have. I count my blessings every day that it was me. I'm lucky that he had the foresight to convince Aro that vampires belonged in the light and made his way to Seattle, to me. Fate stepped in."

Sulpicia sniffed and fussed with her now-perfect green gown. She'd chosen the color because it matched Edward's eyes when he was a child and because it looked beautiful with her auburn hair. It fit perfectly, skimming over her body like a glove.

"We make our own fate," she told Bella.

"Perhaps. Edward certainly made his when he chose to leave here and come to Seattle." Bella couldn't stop herself from flinging that little barb at the woman.

Sure enough, it hit home. Sulpicia winced at the memory of Edward leaving. She'd been bereft for a long time over it.

"Surely you believe in fate, though," Bella continued, as if she hadn't just slapped at her almost pseudo mother-in-law. "What is mating, other than fate? You meet a perfect stranger, and in an instant, they become your entire world."

Bella couldn't help but think of her mother, to wish that she'd been given a real opportunity to find hers, instead of just being bound to Phillip without her consent. It helped her feel better that the two women she planned to punish for it were in the room with her as she got ready for her wedding. She was going to be willingly bound to Edward forever, and then she'd free her mother from her false bonds. Hopefully they'd both have wonderful new beginnings.

"Aro and I were together before we were vampires," Sulpicia told her. "We chose one another as humans."

"That's wonderful," Bella responded. "He was your soul mate always. It's quite romantic, don't you think?"

"We fit. Romance fades in time, especially when you're alive for eternity. But if you're suited and you support one another's needs and desires, it is enough."

Bella didn't really agree with that. She knew her Edward. He would romance her always. And she would want him until the day she died. But his needs and desires, she understood. She supported them, as he supported hers. They'd melded together to fit perfectly for this day. The fact that their needs tied in and would be dealt with after their wedding only served to reassure Bella that she and Edward were indeed fated. Together, they would take down those who had imprisoned him and her mother. It didn't get better than that.

"Are you okay?" Chelsea asked, smoothing a loose curl behind Bella's right ear. "You seem strange."

Bella focused on the pretty woman, seeing the look of worry on her face. She could see that the bonds coming off of her were moving, as if her allegiance was shifting. Except, of course, for her bond to Edward. That was as strong and true as it had been from the first moment Bella saw it when she'd absorbed Chelsea's power. The strong red ribbon fascinated her, but now was not the time.

_Is Sulpicia causing a problem, making Bella second guess her loyalty to Aro? I'll have to work my magic before the ceremony._

Bella concentrated on the bonds that appeared to be fraying, strengthening her resolve. She wouldn't think of the plan any longer. She focused on her desire to make Edward proud and to be a good daughter to his parents. The bonds solidified in front of her and Chelsea's eyes, satisfying them both.

"I'm fine." Bella lowered her voice, even though Sulpicia could still hear her. "I fear she doesn't like me very much."

Gianna laughed. "Don't worry, Bella. She wouldn't like anybody that took her Edward away. It's nothing personal. She just wanted to be number one in his eyes, and now that he's mated, that can't happen."

"I understand," Bella hastened to assure them. "It's hard for any mother to let their child go, although in this case, she's kind of getting him back since we've decided to return here after our honeymoon."

"I don't have a problem with _my_ son mating," Sulpicia informed them. "I just wish he would have taken more time to find the perfect woman."

Gianna rolled her eyes. "Bella _is_ his perfect woman. She's his mate, after all. There's only one for each of us."

"Perhaps. Nobody's ever tried to see if they had another, have they?" Sulpicia asked. "Everyone just settles for the one that comes along first."

"That's an interesting theory," Bella said, thinking of Emmett. She'd like to believe that if Rose never returned to him, perhaps Emmett could find his mate in someone else. She very much wanted that to be true. "Have you ever heard of anyone finding a new mate after losing their first?"

"No," Sulpicia told her. "Most vampires don't survive the loss of their mate. Those who do turn into someone like Marcus, morose and disinterested in the world around them." Her disgust for her brother-in-law was quite clear.

"I can't blame him. I don't think I could go on if something were to happen to Edward."

Sulpicia's head snapped toward Bella, her glare hot enough to melt a glacier. "Nothing will ever happen to Edward."

 _Damn right,_ Bella thought. _Not as long as I'm alive._

"Of course not," Bella agreed. "I'd never let anyone hurt him."

"Nor would I," Sulpicia informed her snottily. _I'd kill you in a heartbeat if you ever hurt him._

"Good," Bella said with a sweet smile. "I'm glad Edward has fierce women like us on his side. How could he go wrong?"

"Indeed," Heidi agreed. "Now, what do you say we get you to your mate? I want to see Edward lose his shit when the boys lay eyes on you. This wedding could be a bloodbath."

Bella laughed loudly. _If you only knew!_ "He'll behave."

_For now._


	18. Chapter 18

**o it!**

Fill Me with Your Poison Chapter 18

Edward waited at the front of the beautifully decorated ballroom, his eyes taking in all the details. There were white flowers of all types decorating the aisle, as well as on the tables that had been set up for after the wedding. Edward wasn't entirely sure there would be a real reception, but he was willing to go with it once they'd dispatched of their problem guests.

He gave Demetri a nod when he saw him take his place in the high-backed white seats directly behind Alec and Jane and right next to Phillip. Garrett moved into place on Jane's left. Garrett and his mate Kate were one of Edward's surprises-back up, should it be necessary.

Irina, Tanya, and Carmen sat beside Kate, their minds awed by the gorgeous scenery but at the same time worried about Eleazar. They had been sure that he'd arrive in time for the wedding. Carmen made plans to approach Aro as soon as the wedding was over. Edward felt a pang of regret for having had to end Eleazar, but there had truly been no choice.

Maggie, Raoul, Siobahn, and Alistair took seats on the other side of the aisle, near an old friend of Edward's. Edward smiled at Stefan, an old friend who was rather excited about this big day, and Edward smiled his way.

_You know, if you can't manage Aro on your own, I'd be more than happy to assist._

Edward just cocked an eyebrow at Stefan's cheeky thoughts.

_I know, I know, I'm just mop up duty. Sucks that you get all the fun._

Maggie looked around the room, a frown marring her pretty features. _Something about this feels wrong. It's real, but there's an undercurrent. I don't understand it._

There was nothing Edward could do to reassure her. Maggie would have to make her choice when the action began.

Amun, Kebi, Zafrina, and her sisters joined the group. Edward was pleased when Stefan motioned Amun to his side. Amun had been a long-time friend of Aro's and was another wild card that needed to be accounted for.

All of his fellow brothers filtered in as well; Eric, Tyler, Mike, Sam, Paul, Colin, and Fred along with the mates of those that had mated filled out the rest of the chairs within the room. Edward hadn't told them what was coming. He didn't think he needed to. Once Chelsea's bonds were broken, he knew where their loyalties were going to lie. He had spent far more time with his brothers than Aro ever had. Fred was a bit of a wild card, but Edward wasn't overly concerned. His allies knew who to look out for and were ready to act to protect him and Bella at any cost.

"Are you ready for this?" Emmett asked, fidgeting with his bow tie.

"More than," Edward assured him, batting his hands out of the way and fixing his tie himself. He'd been waiting for more than a century for both of these moments: the joining of his life with his mate's, and the fracturing of his ties to Aro and the ancient way of thinking. His life was truly beginning today.

Marcus made his way up the aisle, stopping in front of Edward. He was ready to unite the one couple he'd ever found that truly matched him and his mate for passion and love. "I am honored to be a part of this day. Thank you for including me," Marcus told Edward, giving him a slight bow.

Edward wasn't having that, pulling his favorite uncle into a hug. "There was nobody I'd rather have conduct this ceremony than you. I hope you will always support us." It was as close as he could get to revealing what was about to happen.

Marcus assured him that he would and took his place in front of the altar, which was draped with more white flowers and candles. Candles had been Edward's special request.

Aro finished glad-handling all his friends and family, taking his place at Edward's side. "The girls are ready if you are." Renee moved in to stand behind him, having shadowed him throughout the ballroom.

Edward smiled. "I've never been more ready for anything in my life."

Aro clapped his shoulder and then gave Heidi the high sign. The music swelled as the bridal march began to play. Edward found himself cursing the slow speed as each female made her way down the aisle.

Gianna's eyes met his and she smiled brightly. _Wait until you see her, Edward. She's beyond gorgeous. And she's ready. For everything._

He acknowledged her reassurance with a smile, which stuck a bit as Sulpicia began her walk down the aisle.

_Oh, my little boy! You've never been more handsome! Are you sure about this? I can take you away from here, and we can find someone more suitable to the perfection that is you._

Edward glared at her briefly and shook his head at her thoughts.

Aro couldn't hear her, of course, but she'd talked his ear off about the wedding, and he knew where his mate stood. "She just can't stand that she won't be the number one woman in your life, son. She'll get there."

No, she wouldn't, but that was okay. She wouldn't have the opportunity, and Edward was fine with that.

The music swelled, and his Bella stepped into the doorway. Edward was immediately struck dumb at the sight of her. Never, in all his wildest dreams, had she looked this devastatingly beautiful. She looked like a goddess. She should be lounging on a cloud in Mount Olympus, laughing at the pathetic humans and vampires that roamed the earth because not one of them was worthy to be in her presence. Not even him.

_Now, that's just the dumbest thought I've ever heard from your stubborn head. You are more than worthy of being with me. You're everything to me._

Edward couldn't keep the grin off his face as the vision before him walked down the aisle toward him.

_You are beautiful beyond words, my Bella. It's a good thing I'm not supposed to talk right now because I don't think I could without babbling unintelligibly._

Her answering smile lit up the room.

_I wanted to be beautiful for you. I thought about dressing like a queen but…_

_A goddess is more powerful. And you are beyond beautiful. You're a vision. Perfection. I can hardly believe you're real and that you're mine,_ he finished for her.

She reached the end of the aisle, handed her flowers off to Chelsea, and took Edward's hand. In that moment, they were the only two people in the room. The crowd faded away, their thoughts were shut out, and all the planning and plotting was a distant memory. All that mattered was the two of them, their love and desire for one another, and their bond.

Marcus cleared his throat several times before finally giving up and taking each of their arms, giving them a light shake. The audience tittered with laughter when Edward and Bella finally came out of their little bubble.

Edward grinned unrepentantly as he turned to their audience. "Sorry, but can you blame me? Look at her!"

More laughter and nods of appreciation greeted his pronouncement, while Bella shook her head and smiled. "I'm glad you approve. Now will you marry me?"

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles lightly. "I would be delighted."

"Well, then, let's begin," Marcus suggested, biting back a smile. He loved their love and the way it made him feel. He hadn't felt that feeling since his beloved Didyme had passed. Basking in their love nearly made him feel alive again.

"We are gathered here to celebrate the unparalleled love that Edward and Isabella share. The wedding custom is not something that our kind always finds it necessary to partake in. Our mating bond is our wordless vow to love, honor, and cherish one another for eternity." Marcus smiled at the couple before him. "However, there is something to be said about the power of words, the willing taking of vows, before friends and loved ones, letting them share in the beauty of your mating.

"Edward, Isabella, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate your love. Isabella, do you take Edward to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor, and cherish for eternity and beyond?"

Bella's radiant smile said it all for her, but she answered with a clear, "I do."

"And Edward-"

"I do," he said, making Marcus chuckle.

"Well, I know, but let me say it anyway, okay?" At Edward's sheepish nod, Marcus continued. "Do you take Isabella to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor, and cherish for eternity and beyond?"

"I do," Edward agreed again.

"Now I'll allow you to say a few words of your own, if you so desire."

Edward's red eyes burned into Bella's. "My life found its meaning when you walked into it. I thought I knew the man I was, the vampire I was, but I was so wrong. Everything I ever wanted and ever needed pales in comparison to what I feel for you. You are my life now."

Bella glowed at his words. "Unlike you, I didn't know what I wanted when I walked through the door of your club. I didn't really know who I was. I just knew what I didn't want. But one look at you, and I suddenly had all the answers. I wanted this life, with you. I am yours. Always."

Edward let out a light growl, wanting nothing more than to tackle his mate to the floor, take her and make her his just as she'd promised.

 _Soon,_ she promised, squeezing his hand.

"The rings?" Marcus asked, trying to bring them back to the present.

Edward took the platinum band from Jasper, sliding it on her finger to join the big diamond he'd put there when he proposed. "With this ring, I thee wed," he murmured after Marcus.

Bella took Edward's ring from Chelsea, giving her a smile of thanks. "With this ring, I thee wed."

Marcus put a hand on each of their shoulders. "By the power vested in me, I now declare you husband and wife. Edward, you may kiss your bride."

"Finally," he muttered, making everyone laugh again. He slipped his arms around Bella's waist and pulled her close as she put her arms around his shoulders. Their lips met, and the laughter and cheering died away as they celebrated officially becoming one.

_I love you, so much more than I could ever imagine. Thank you for marrying me today._

Bella's lips curved in a smile against his. _I love you, Edward. You're everything to me._

_Are you ready to do this? If you're not, we can just go on with the reception and-_

_No._ Bella cut off Edward's thoughts. _This is the beginning of the rest of our life. We're not going to start it with anything hanging over our heads. We'll do what we have to do and then walk away and never look back, but we're getting it done. You hear me?_

 _Yes, ma'm._ His thoughts were amused. _You're already ruling me with an iron fist, aren't you?_

_We rule each other, or we will once Aro is out of the way. Come, husband, and let's finish this._

_Husband…I like that,_ he growled against her lips. _Okay, wife, you're up._

They broke their kiss to loud cheers. "Ladies and gentleman, Edward and Isabella Cullen." They joined hands, and Edward held their hands up as everyone clapped, with the exception of Sulpicia, of course.

Bella squeezed his hand once more and then turned to Chelsea, ostensibly to retrieve her flowers.

The girl held them out, a sweet, happy smile on her face. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you," Bella said, the smile never leaving her face as she leaned in for a hug. And before anybody could react, she snapped the girl's head completely off her body, tossing it back toward where the candles sat on the altar. They fell over, igniting the cloth and flowers and head behind it.

For Bella, it was like everything stood still in that moment. She could physically see the bonds that Chelsea had formed snapping right in front of her. Every part of her wanted to turn to her mother, to see if she was free, but she had no time to do so. The shock that she'd caused with her actions was already dissipating, and it wouldn't be long before somebody acted.

She quickly took hold of the tattered bonds that floated in the air away from Chelsea's headless body, directing them to her husband. She wanted every bit of manufactured loyalty to be sent Edward's way, making those who might turn against him hesitate.

Edward watched his mate dispatch of Chelsea with ease, as if she'd been killing vampires all her life instead of this being her first time. He didn't have much time to admire her, though, quickly grabbing hold of Aro. Renee didn't react, which told him that whatever bonds Chelsea had used to make her loyal to Aro had indeed been broken.

"What do you think you're doing?" his former captor demanded.

"What I've wanted to do for a century. Making you pay for all the lives you've ended." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jasper ending James as Emmett took out Caius. The fire at the altar grew bigger as body parts flew in that direction.

"It is because of me that you have all you have today." Aro was desperate. His guards weren't moving to help him, and Jane and Alec had just gone down behind Edward's back. Stefan had grabbed Amun and wrenched his neck from his body, and Sulpicia, his beloved Sulpicia, was facing down Edward's bride.

 _How?_ he wondered.

Edward wanted him to know. "My Bella is more talented than you can even begin to imagine. She's got all of our powers. She broke Chelsea's bonds and made everyone loyal to me, even your guards. We toyed with using Alec's gift and just putting everybody to sleep, but that seemed like a lot less fun than this."

As Aro's thoughts turned to marveling Bella's gift, they were abruptly cut off when his son ended his life. He wasn't going to allow Aro any time to celebrate Bella's abilities. Edward tossed him onto the fire and turned to find his mate with his would-be mother pinned against the wall.

"Edward! You can't let her do this to me! I'm your mother!"

"No," he hissed, glad that he could finally drop the charade. "My mother was Esme Cullen. You killed her when you took me away from her. I have never loved you. I will _never_ love you. And it only seems fitting that the woman who I actually love be the one to end you."

"It's my pleasure," Bella said, cutting off Sulpicia's outraged shrieks with one turn of her wrist.

As Sulpicia's body joined the growing conflagration, Edward grabbed his bride, pulling her away from the fire.

They turned and watched as Garrett took down Vladamir, another of Aro's oldest friends. All of their allies were standing, while the rest stood and watched, transfixed by what was before them.

Demetri walked over to them, Phillip in tow. He wasn't even trying to fight, quickly seeing the futility of such an act. Jasper joined them with a dazed-looking Renee at his side.

"Mom?" Bella asked softly, causing Phillip to jerk and stare at her in shock. Renee just looked at her blankly.

"What? She's your mother?"

"That's right," Bella growled at him. "You took her away from me almost a decade ago. You never stopped to think about her family that she left behind, did you?"

He shook his head. "I didn't know…"

"Yes, you did. You knew she wasn't really your mate. You wanted her and you took her, ignoring the fact that she didn't want you."

Edward stepped back and let his Bella take the lead. This was her moment.

"I know I said I'd kill him, but it seemed more apt for you to do it," Demetri told her with a gallant smile. "Consider it my wedding gift to you."

"Cheap ass," Edward told him, making him laugh.

"Now, that's really not necessary. Edward, I recognize you as the new leader of the Volturi. Bella, I apologize for any pain I've caused your family. It was never my intention to hurt you. Renee captured me with her beauty, and she was so special-"

Bella ignored his blathering, knowing he was only futility trying to spare himself. He'd taken Renee because she'd rejected him, plain and simple. When he saw that she had a gift, he'd decided to bring her to Volterra so he could be special like his brothers were. It had all been ambition and a desire to fit in. She saw it all in his head.

Bella stared at Renee, begging her to remember. She sent her the images she had earlier, when she'd still be bound by Chelsea. Young Bella helping her cook in the kitchen, picking flowers with her in the meadow near their home, and even herself as a miniature bride when she was about five, her flower girl dress poofy and white.

Slowly, some of the blankness died out of Renee's face. Each image she saw seemed to bring her back to life. "Bella?" she whispered, reaching a hand out toward her daughter. "My Bella?"

Bella sobbed out a yes. "Mom, do you remember now?" She twined their fingers together.

"I don't…you're my daughter. All this time…how long?" She was still confused, but she was getting there.

"Nine years ago. Phillip wanted you, and Chelsea bound you to him. They changed you and took you away from me and Dad. I never knew what happened to you until I met Edward and he looked into it for me."

"Phil…took me?" She shook her head. "I remember…the store. I was at the store. He talked to me. Asked me out. I said no." She glared over at him. "I said no."

"I know, Mom. He didn't listen."

"All this time. So much time. You stole it!" she yelled, leaping on Phillip and knocking him to the floor. They all stood and watched as he shouted her new name over, begging her not to end him. "My name is Renee, not Renata, you kidnapping asshole." There was more grinding as she wrenched him apart.

"That seems more fitting than any of us doing it," Demetri decided.

Bella helped her mother to her feet, intending to carry Phillip's body to the fire, but Renee threw her arms around her. "Bella, you're all grown up, and I missed it. I'm so sorry! You're so beautiful!"

"It wasn't your fault," Bella murmured, holding her mother tight. "I blamed you for a long time, but you couldn't help it."

"Where's your father? He should be here." Renee looked around, as if expected Charlie to materialize.

"Dad doesn't, um…" Bella looked to Edward for help.

"Charlie knows what you became, but not why. When Bella made the same choice as he thinks you did, he more or less disowned her." Edward's tight tone showed his disdain for Charlie Swan.

Renee let out a growl as she clutched her daughter to her. "How dare he? He should love you no matter what you are. You're such a beautiful, grown-up woman. Oh, baby. I missed it all." Renee sobbed tearlessly against her shoulder.

"It's okay, Mom. We have forever," Bella reassured her.

"We do, don't we? Bella…" She stepped back, staring at her daughter. "You are so gorgeous. I can't believe my baby is all grown up and married. And somehow I got to be here, even if I wasn't really."

"I was glad you were here. I couldn't look at you for fear I was going to give everything away, but I wanted you to see me marry Edward."

"I'm so happy I did. You should have had both parents here."

"The one that cared was here. She just needed to be reminded a little," Bella assured her with a soft smile.

"Um, I hate to interrupt the family reunion, but maybe you should say something to the remaining guests, Edward." Marcus stood next to them, looking somehow even paler than he had earlier.

Edward touched his arm. "I'm sorry that we had to keep it from you. I didn't know how you'd feel about what we had planned."

"You thought you might have to kill me," Marcus supplied. "I understand, even though I would always choose you over Aro."

"I thought you might." Edward gave him a grateful hug before turning to the remaining guests. "I'm sorry that you all had to see that. I know it wasn't easy, but it was necessary in order to free us all from Aro's control and to get Bella's mother back."

He held out a hand to his bride, and she stepped next to him. "My Bella has you all bound to me in this moment, but I'm going to ask her to remove any unnatural bonds. I have my free will again, and I want you to have yours. What you do with it is your choice."

Bella acquiesced to his wishes, letting all the manufactured bonds go. Only the real ones remained, and she was pleased to see that most were with him anyway. Only one seemed to be an issue.

"Where is my Eleazar?" Carmen yelled, running toward them. Before she got there, though, she was repelled all the way back into the wall.

"Nice," Edward murmured to Bella.

"It wasn't me," she replied, smiling at her mother. Edward, too, smiled in thanks. Bella could see the bonds between her and her mother, and her mother and Edward, strengthening.

"I'm sorry, Carmen, but Eleazar threatened to tell Aro about Bella's gifts. It couldn't be allowed. His loyalty to Aro was unbreakable."

"No! I'll kill you. I'll kill you all, so help me…" But she was dead before she finished the sentence, Marcus standing over her.

"I will always stand with you," he told Edward.

"As I will you," Edward told him before turning to the others again. He and Bella had made their decision the night before. "I don't seek to rule you. I have everything I can possibly want. I hereby nominate Marcus to be our leader, to work with the humans to keep our existence peaceful and beneficial."

"I second that," Demetri chimed in, echoed quickly by Jasper, Emmett, Bella, and all the others.

"I don't know what to say," Marcus told them. "I'll do you proud."

"I have no doubt of that," Edward assured him. "Now, I'd like to take my bride and get out of here. I've had enough of this place for a century or two."

Marcus laughed. "I can understand that, but don't be a stranger." He shook his head when he saw Edward hesitate, studying the fire and the weary faces all around them. "Go. I'm in charge now, right? I'll handle things."

"Shall we, Mrs. Cullen?" he asked, smiling at his gorgeous wife.

"We shall, Mr. Cullen."

It wasn't going to be a normal honeymoon by any means, with the bride's mother and the groom's brothers in tow, but they wanted normalcy and home. They'd take their honeymoon when the time was right. For now, they were united and victorious. That was what truly mattered.

**Epilogue posting tomorrow, should wrap up any remaining questions, or most of them! See you then and thank you for taking this ride with me. The love you have for this story pleases me greatly. It's different from my others and I'm happy so many of you came along for the ride! See you tomorrow!**


	19. Epilogue

**A/N Here it is! See you below!**

Fill Me with Your Poison Epilogue

Edward Cullen stood at the top of the cliff, watching the water crash against the rocks below. The lack of sunshine, coupled with the cool mist from the water, made for a rather cold, raw day, but to him it was perfection. His first wedding had been incredible, and while it was fantastic, and fitting for a vampire, this one was going to be even better because it was just about Bella and him. Today there would be no killing, unless Jacob Black was stupid enough to show up. Then, all bets were off.

It had been quite a month since Bella had become his bride. Marcus had taken to leadership like he'd been born for it, and having a focus after all these years mourning his lost love had given him new life. The humans were relatively ignorant of the coupe that had taken place. Rumors swirled about a wedding massacre, but since it was vampire on vampire, there was really nothing to be done and no way to confirm it.

Renee had returned to Washington with Edward and Bella. The whole flight from Volterra to Seattle had been spent catching Renee up on the past decade of her daughter's life. While it wasn't quite the honeymoon he had imagined, Edward couldn't have been happier to have his wife's mother back in her life. He smirked as he remembered her reaction to the things Charlie had said to her beloved child.

" _He called you a what?" she screeched, her eyes narrowed to angry slits, hands clenched at her side. "I'll kill him myself. Why did you let him live?" she demanded of Edward._

" _Mom, I didn't want Edward to kill Dad," Bella told her. "I knew he was going to be angry, and of course, I didn't know what had become of you, so when we figured that out…yeah, he said some awful things, but he's believed a lie for a long time."_

" _That's no excuse," Renee hissed. "Nothing excuses him calling you a whore and telling you that you're dead to him, Bella. You're our child. I don't care if you'd killed his best friend. He should never turn his back on you."_

" _You know Charlie," Bella said with a shrug._

" _No, I don't think I do. The Charlie I knew loved us both. He doted on you and he was a good father. Being hurt, thinking I'd abandoned you must have been awful for him. But it's one thing to hate me and another thing entirely to hate you just because you didn't fit into the little mold he was trying to cram you in. We both wanted better for you than Forks. You were going to be the first female president," she said with a smile._

" _She still can be," Edward piped up, laughing when Bella swatted at him._

" _I don't want to be president. I have you both. Just a few months ago, I couldn't ever conceive of having my mother back in my life or finding the man that I'd love beyond reason. I couldn't be happier with life just as it is now."_

" _I'm happy for you. Both of you. Even when I wasn't that aware of everything around me, I could see the love you two shared. I envy it. Nothing I felt for Phil made me look at him the way you two look at each other."_

" _Well, Mom, now you have a chance to find it for yourself."_

" _Maybe. But first I want to see your father."_

_Bella shot Edward a look, and he grinned at her, delighted. He couldn't kill Charlie; he'd promised Bella. But Renee could. And she very much wanted to right now, though when it came down to it, could she really end her husband? He didn't know, but he wanted to find out._

" _I don't think that's a good idea…" Bella started, but Renee held up her hand._

" _He needs to know that I didn't just leave the two of you of my own volition. He needs to know that I'm alive and technically we're still married, unless he divorced me in absentia." She shrugged, not seeming bothered by that. "And most of all, he needs to know that the way he treated you is not going to be tolerated. I don't give a damn if he hates me until the day he dies, but he damn well is going to know that the next time he disrespects you will be the last time he breathes."_

_Edward applauded as Bella sighed. "What he thinks doesn't matter."_

" _It shouldn't, but I know my girl. He hurt you. I won't tolerate that, and I know your husband won't. I've seen firsthand what he does to those who harm him and the ones he loves."_

" _I've thought of many ways to kill him, if you're interested," Edward volunteered, getting another smack from Bella. He chuckled and pulled her onto his lap. "You made me promise not to kill him, but you didn't say anything about thinking of ways to do so."_

" _What am I going to do with the two of you?" she asked, trying to sound admonishing but failing miserably. Bella had never been more beautiful, positively glowing with happiness. She meant it when she said she had everything she wanted now that she had Edward and Renee was back._

"Are you ready?" Emmett asked quietly.

Edward turned away from the water, smiling at his brother. "I'm an old hat at this by now."

"Yeah, this is a lot less eventful than the last time. Think her dad is gonna show?"

Edward laughed. "Fuck no, not if he knows what's good for him."

_Renee had made them take her to Forks straight from the airport. No amount of cajoling from Bella had swayed her, and Edward had kept out of it, not wanting to side against his wife but not so secretly on Renee's side in the matter of dealing with Charlie. He was more than happy to drive her to her old house._

" _Look at this place," Renee sneered, staring at the overgrown weeds and general shabbiness of the house that she'd once kept pristine. It hadn't been big or fancy, but it had been hers and she'd taken great care of it. "He doesn't raise his daughter right, he doesn't make simple repairs to the house, and what does he do? Drink, fish, and watch sports. Useless prick."_

_Edward snickered as she kicked the back tire of Charlie's squad car. Since she was a vampire, the whole side of the car collapsed inward._

" _Mom!" Bella scolded, though she was biting back a smile._

" _Oh, who cares? I'm sure it's just another thing to hate me for." Then she marched up to the door and started beating on it. "Charles Alexander Swan! You open this door right this instant!"_

" _This is going to be great," Edward whispered to Bella._

" _He's probably going to have a heart attack," she fretted._

" _He'll be fine," Edward assured her. No way was he going to let Charlie die of natural causes if he died today. It better be by Renee's hand, or his._

" _What the infernal hell?" Charlie was yelling as he flung open the door, gun in hand. He froze when he saw his wife standing in the doorway, a furious look on her face, her red eyes burning into him. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, stupidly lifting his rifle, as if it could protect him._

" _What am I doing? I'm here to have a little talk with you, Charlie. Put that ridiculous gun down right now."_

" _No. I have nothing to say to you. Maybe I can't kill you with this gun, but I can put a dent in that hard skin of yours."_

_Renee hissed and grabbed the gun, bending the barrel and tying it into a knot. Charlie gaped at her, and Edward let out a laugh. He already loved his mother-in-law._

" _Now, if we're quite done being stupid, I'd like to come in and speak to you."_

" _You can't come into my house," Charlie told her._

_Renee tossed back her head and laughed. "Your house? Did you forget whose parents gave us this house when we got married? It's my house. And if you don't stop being an asshole, I'll see to it that you're evicted from it."_

" _You're legally dead. It's mine now," Charlie told her with a smirk. Edward marveled that he was stupid enough not to be afraid of his wife. Anger burned the fear away, he guessed._

" _So you had me declared dead, even though you knew I was alive. I think that's probably illegal, don't you, Edward?"_

_He smiled. "Sounds like fraud to me. I can get in touch with a lawyer if you like."_

" _Well, that'll depend on Charlie here. A lot of things depend on what he says in the next few minutes."_

" _Why are you here? You made it pretty damn clear years ago that you didn't want me; I hardly think you've changed your mind now. And why are you with Bella? You didn't want her either." Charlie's words were filled with all the hate he'd felt for her since she'd left._

" _I'm here to clear up a few things. Don't worry. I don't want you or this house, seeing as you've let it go to the dogs."_

" _What do you want, Renee? And why are you here, Bella? I've said what I needed to say to you."_

_Renee reached out and grabbed Charlie by the neck, slamming him into the side of the house. "That's one of the things we're going to talk about. If you ever, ever, say one disrespectful word to or about our daughter again, I'll kill you. I'll crush your bones to bits, and I won't feel one bit sorry about it. Do you understand me?"_

_Charlie couldn't respond because he was turning red, his windpipe blocked by Renee's powerful grip. She flexed it and released him. He fell to the ground, gasping._

_Renee bent down and got right in his face. "I've heard every awful word you said to her. How could you, Charlie? I understand why you hate me, even though that was misplaced, too. But our daughter? You were supposed to protect her, to love her and support her. She's happy, and you can't be happy for her because she became something you despised? You're a disgrace of a human being."_

" _At least I am a human," he managed to force out between deep breaths._

" _Ahh, yes, vampires are awful. We ruin everything. Guess what, Charlie? I didn't leave you on purpose. I was more or less brainwashed by a vampire with a special ability. I never wanted to leave you, and I certainly didn't want to leave Bella."_

_Charlie shook his head slowly. "Are you forgetting I was there? You told me that you didn't want our boring little life anymore."_

" _And in what world did that sound like anything I'd say?" Renee demanded. "You knew me, Charlie. At least, I thought you did. How you could even think that I'd walk away from us, from our child, like that is beyond me."_

" _Fucking vampires. They changed you."_

" _Yes, they did. Against my will."_

" _Which only goes to show that I'm right about them."_

_Edward rolled his eyes and tightened his hold on Bella. He wanted to take her away from her father forever. He was sick of Charlie's stubborn attitudes._

" _Which only goes to show that you're a narrow-minded idiot. Not all vampires are bad, just like not all humans are good. You wouldn't have a job if that were the case." Renee shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I'm not here to convince you that you're wrong about me." She looked at her daughter. "I'm here to tell you what an asshole you are for throwing our daughter away."_

" _She knew how I felt and she didn't care. She just let that vampire seduce her and-"_

" _She didn't let anything. He is her mate. The one for her. Just like, once upon a time, you were the one for me. I seem to remember that my parents weren't all that thrilled when I chose you, but they supported me anyway."_

" _That was different. I'm a human. You didn't have to become something you weren't to be with me."_

" _Didn't I? You weren't exactly in the same monetary bracket my parents were, and I had quite a bit of adjusting to do. They disapproved, but I didn't care. Why you wouldn't think of that when you were treating your daughter like crap is beyond me. You know what it feels like, Charlie."_

" _I did my best by her. She chose to leave me behind."_

" _She went to school! Which we wanted for her! We wanted her to get out of Forks and make a great life for herself."_

" _And she threw that all away to become a vampire."_

_Renee growled. "You stubborn fool. Look at her! Can't you see how special she is? She's found her place. She's the most powerful vampire that I've ever seen. She's happy and in love! She'll never get sick, never die. Why wouldn't you want that for her?"_

_Charlie furrowed his brow, glancing between his wife and his daughter. "I don't…she became what I hate. And she knew that. Maybe you didn't leave because you wanted to, but you still left. And I hardly want you back now, so if you're here for that…"_

_Renee threw back her head and laughed. "That's rich! Any love I had for you, any memory of it, died when I heard the way you treated Bella. No man that I would ever give my heart to would turn away from his child the way you did."_

_She jabbed her finger into his chest. "I'm here to tell you how wrong you were. I'm here to tell you I'm ashamed of the man you became and that I'm happy Bella managed to find a family who loves and accepts her for who she is and who she was meant to be. I'm here to tell you that she has me now, and she doesn't need your crappy parenting. And I'm here to remind you that if you ever dare to speak one bad word to or about her, I'll end you. That's a promise. You stay in this home that you managed to turn into a dump. It's reflecting perfectly the person you are now. You're not the man I thought you were, Charlie. I'll forever regret the years I lost with Bella, but I'm grateful that I didn't waste them on you."_

_And with that, she whirled around and walked over to where Edward and Bella stood. "Come on, baby. We're done here."_

_Bella glanced back at her father, watching from the doorway. She hoped she saw a flash of regret in his deep brown eyes, but it didn't matter. "Yeah, we are."_

They hadn't heard from Charlie again, and Edward was glad. He had someone keeping an eye on him, just in case, but thus far he wasn't making any trouble. The other human bane of his existence, Jacob, had taken off when he'd heard that Bella married Edward in Italy. He'd been angry with his father for taking Edward's charity and supporting Bella and had left without a word. Edward was prepared to deal with him when and if he ever returned. He'd toyed with hunting him down but decided that he wasn't important enough to spend the effort.

"Are you sure you're okay with being here?" Edward asked Emmett. The first wedding, Emmett had had something else to focus on other than the union of mates. This time, there was no such distraction.

"I am," Emmett assured him. "Marcus and I talked a lot about things, and I'm going to wait. I have all the time in the world for Rose, if she changes her mind. I want her to be happy, and I'll do everything in my power to see that she is. Maybe someday you'll be standing next to me at our wedding. I'm going to hold on to that, for now."

Edward marveled at his brother's strength. "You're a good man, Emmett."

Demetri took his place between Emmett and Jasper. "Thanks for inviting me to the second shindig," he told Edward. "This one has some lovely new eye candy." He smiled at some of Bella's college friends who'd made their way to LaPush. "I love humans."

Edward laughed. "Just don't sneak off with the bridesmaids until after the reception, okay?"

"I'll try to restrain myself." He sent a seductive smile to a blonde sitting in the third row. "Maybe."

Edward shook his head. "You're incorrigible." But that was all he said as the music started up and the ceremony began.

Jessica and Lauren made their way down the aisle, shooting looks at his brothers as they took their places. He was pleased to see Emmett wink at Lauren. Maybe, just maybe, he'd fill the time while he waited for Rose. His brother deserved a good time. Jasper, of course, had plans for Jessica later. His brothers really did like humans.

Just like last time, all thoughts flew out of Edward's head the instant his Bella stepped into his vision. She was equally as beautiful as she was last time. This gown was strapless, with a shiny belt and then a layered skirt that made her look like she was floating through a soft cloud. She was an angel, slowly moving down the aisle, her hand on the back of Billy's wheelchair, her other arm linked with Renee's. Her hair was long and flowing over her shoulders, curling beautifully, and her face was flawless.

As she stepped to him and they took their vows in front of real friends and family, Edward thanked whatever being had brought Bella into his life. For far too many years, he'd been consumed with the need for vengeance and power, when all he'd really needed was her. The irony that she was powerful enough on her own to make the world theirs wasn't lost on him. It just wasn't important. At least not right now. They had decades, or centuries, to decide if they wanted to take more than what they had found in one another. They already had everything they needed.

He remembered the song that she'd told him reminded of her that first night they'd met. Was he a devil or an angel? It didn't matter. He'd be whatever she wanted. Always.

**A/N So that's the end! I know some of you wanted complete resolution on Emmett and Rose but I prefer it this way. Some want her to run back to Em, some, I think, want her to stick to her guns. This way, either could have happened, if you want to know my personal preference, go ahead and ask :)**

**As to Charlie, there was no way Renee was going to be mated to him after the way he treated her daughter. Also, it is very rare for human couples to end up being vampire soulmates as the beloved (HAHA) Sulpicia told Bella. So, Renee hopefully has a mate out and about somewhere.**

**I hope you had a good time with this story. I really enjoyed challenging myself to do something different, third person and very little humor (some has to sneak in, it's me after all).  
**

**As I sit and watch the talk of the death of Robin Williams, someone I grew up watching all my life, I feel the need to tell you to be kind to everyone. You never now what's lurking beneath the surface of even the funniest, happiest seeming person. Depression is an awful thing. And if you're feeling alone, remember you have people who love you, even if they're people you've never met. Everyone matters.**

**There's no easy way to transition from what I just said, but I do want to thank Jenrar again for her beta work. I never knew how many mistakes I made until she came along! I'd also like to thank Angela for continuing to read every single word I write. She's been with me since before the fandom and through ofic. One of those people I love even though we've never met!**

**I'm taking a mini-break and hope to have the first chapter of the Sideline sequel ready to go with the kickoff of the NFL season in September. So just a few weeks away! Thank you and see you then!**


End file.
